


Coffee Prince

by miyaicheese



Category: SB19 (Band)
Genre: Coffee Shops, College, Fluff, Getting Together, Humour, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of mourning over loss of family member, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:27:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 196,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24367288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miyaicheese/pseuds/miyaicheese
Summary: Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.
Relationships: Junell, Stelljun - Relationship, Stellvester "Stell" Ajero/John Paulo Nase | Sejun
Comments: 88
Kudos: 140





	1. Coffee Prince Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This work is a work of fiction. Not in any way associated with SB19, ShowBT and characters mentioned.
> 
> Don't you like those coffee au's and find them lovely?  
> I'd like to give it a try with our StellJun~  
> Hope you enjoy!

Working the 6 am shift had become a sort of regular occurrence in Stell's life, as terrible as that was, but after 2 years of opening Coffee Prince more days out of the week than not, it was a job that he had gotten fairly used to.

Stell liked working the morning shifts because they were the most predictable, and while he wasn’t opposed to excitement in his life, he preferred that it stay away from his place of work. Especially when said place was close enough to the school campus that most of the customers were university students. It wasn’t that he disliked the students – he was one of them after all – but dealing with student problems so early in the morning wasn’t on his list of things he’d like to spend his morning doing.

Neither was waking up at the crack of dawn, but that couldn't be helped. Besides, he couldn’t really complain considering most of his work these days just included managing the rest of the staff and making sure the customers were happy. Being the Assistant Manager did come with its perks, and Stell often exploited them.

It was by luck that he happened to notice the ‘hiring’ sign on the store during his first week as a first year, and it had been through even more luck that a few weeks after he was hired, the previous Assistant Manager quit. During that time, Stell had become quite the popular barista, thanks to his adept customer service skills and crafty beverages. With the promise to keep working his current job as well as taken on the duty of the Assistant Manager, he had been promoted with a pay raise.

Over time, the popularity of Coffee Prince grew and Stell's responsibilities decreased; still, he had become weirdly attached to the first shift of the day and chose to stay on duty then when given the choice.

It was a convenient place to work, situated right near campus and not too far from his apartment complex either. He could walk there to and from school in about 5 minutes both ways, which was just what he needed when he had to wake up so early just to make it to work on time, or when he had a closing shift and he wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed the moment he finished work.

Its convenient location and the experience of managing a business aside, there were other reasons why he enjoyed working there. Stell liked being surrounded by the smell of coffee; he would deny it vehemently when he was accused but he may have been a slight caffeine addict, which he was sure he would have turned into anyway were he already not one, after spending so much time in the store.

But he really did like working at Coffee Prince. The pay wasn’t bad, the store was busy enough that his manager left him in charge most days without complaint and his co-workers were pretty great too.

“Stell, I think we’re out of caramel syrup,” JP started nervously. He scratched his cheek hesitantly, throwing an apologetic smile in Stell"s direction, which was met with a deadpan look.

Okay, so maybe his co-workers weren’t always great.

“What do you mean we’re out of caramel syrup? It’s only,” Stell checked his watch, “7 am. How’d we already run out? The bottle was full when I checked it this morning.”

“I uh… may have dropped the bottle on the ground and it may have not been capped at the time?” JP asked sheepishly. He phrased it like a question but if the pink tint framing JP's cheeks was anything to go by, what he said was more of a fact.

Stell sighed, rubbing his head against his palms for a few seconds before lifting his head back up as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t like this was a new occurrence anyway; JP was a great barista but a bit of a klutz otherwise and Stell was pretty used to it by now.

“We’re not supposed to get a new shipment until this afternoon,” he sighed. “There’s nothing else left in the back?” Stell asked, despite knowing the answer himself.

“No, I’m really sorry, please don’t fire me,” JP whined, latching onto Stell's shoulders and hugging him tightly.

“JP get off, I’m not firing you,” Stell insisted, wriggling his way free of JP's incredibly tight grip. “I’ll text Josh and ask him to bring a bottle from home,” he offered, placating JP saddened expression with a reassuring smile.

“You stole a bottle from work?”

“I didn’t steal a bottle. I paid for it,” Stell huffed. “Anyway, Josh doesn’t get his ass out of bed till about eight usually so try and distract anyone who wants anything to do with caramel with something else until then, alright?”

“Sure thing. Thanks, Stell,” JP smiled, heading towards the back room, for what Stell could only assume was to clean up the mess he made.

Stell sighed, pulling out his phone and sending Josh the request, hoping that he would wake up before his alarm just once in his life but knowing full well that wasn’t going to be the case. Especially considering that it was the first day of the new school year and Josh had gotten far too used to lazing around the apartment, watching movies until 4 am during the break.

Stell flicked his wrist up to meet his eyes again absentmindedly, frowning at the fact that it had only been 2 minutes since he last checked his watch. He was physically prepared for the onslaught of the morning rush that was bound to occur at any minute now, but he wasn’t so sure that was the case mentally as well.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the door swung open, followed by a small chime from the bell above to indicate the arrival of a new customer. Stell breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Charles. At least he could deal with someone he knew for a few more minutes. Something about not being fully prepared had his nerves in a tight bundle, making his body feel far more on edge than it should have been.

They had run out of ingredients before; Stell had handled the morning rush during a flood of all things. This was nothing and he knew it was going to be okay but his mind had other thoughts at the mere idea of anything other than perfection. Just because he had earned himself a promotion quickly through luck didn’t mean he hadn’t deserved it, and it certainly didn’t mean that he wanted nothing but the best for his store.

“Morning, Stell,” Charles smiled, accompanying his greeting with a wave.

“Morning. I see you still have 8 am classes this year,” Stell laughed as Charles wrinkled his nose in response.

“Don’t be a fine arts major; I’m telling you these people have no concept of time. Classes are either first thing in the morning or the last thing at night and nothing in between,” he groaned.

“Sucks to be you~” Stell cooed, turning his back at the disgruntled expression on his friend’s face. “Here, I’ll make your coffee this morning,” Stell offered, pulling a cup towards the coffee machine. He pressed a few buttons, capped the lid and slid the cup across the counter. “Iced coffee, half-base just the way you like it,” he smiled, accepting the change. Charles hummed, sipping the drink and sighing contently.

“What? No JP this morning?” he asked once the caffeine had settled comfortably in his stomach.

“Oh, he’s here. Probably sulking in the back until I drag him back out because he feels bad for dumping our last bottle of caramel on the floor,” Stell explained.

“Is it bad that I’m not surprised?” Charles asked lightly. “Wait, don’t tell him I said that. But do tell him I said we should have lunch together. That’ll probably cheer him up,” he offered helpfully.

“Thanks Charles, I’m sure it will. Have fun on your first day back,” Stell waved goodbye, watching as his friend muttered something that sounded oddly like ‘If that’s even possible’ before heading out the door. Stell bit back a smile, grateful to see that even though it was the start of a new year, some things, especially the people around him, didn’t change. It was refreshing and reassuring all at the same time, but Stell didn’t have much time to dwell on those thoughts.

As soon as Charles had walked out however, a small group of early-risers and morning-class students entered, leaving him with no time to relax.

Stell wiped his hands against his apron out of habit and entering the front of the store once more. To his surprise, the entrance was way more crowded than he had expected it to be, but something about the first day back to class at the beginning of a new year caused this sort of jumble. The realization dawned on him and he shifted gears from surprised to thoughtful instantly. Stell swept his eyes across the store, looking for what required his attention when he heard his name.

“Stell, I’m running a little behind. Do you mind taking the orders while I make the drinks?” Zio called.

“Yeah, I’m on it.” Within seconds, the familiar routine was back and the lull that the first hour of work had brought was gone. Stell smiled and took the orders with ease, grateful to see the familiar faces he had gotten used to over the time he had worked here. A couple of new faces popped up too, but from the shy looks on their faces, Stell could guess they were first-years. Mostly though, they were it was recurring customers, since the new students tended to drop by later in the week when they were better settled in.

The customers moved through the line efficiently, looking pleased to have their caffeine fix. When Stell got to see the enthusiastic looks on the faces of his customers, especially so early in the morning, he was reminded why he liked working in customer service, despite the ups and downs it sometimes brought. Sure, he had been yelled at a few more times than necessary and sure, he had dealt with erupting coffee machines and messy floors, but he loved his job.

And when he was met with a new, handsome stranger, he almost wished he could sell his soul to the coffee shop, if only he could see someone that good looking every day, for the rest of his life.

Stell wasn’t sure what he noticed first; the bright brown eyes that were suddenly boring holes into him, the crooked, quick smile that was thrown in his direction as a short greeting or the toned biceps peeking out from under the man’s t-shirt. He liked to think he was a better person than to ogle, but he knew that was exactly what he was doing. Thankfully, the stranger was too busy staring at the menu board above his head to notice Stell, and he’d be damned if he let an opportunity like that go to waste.

Usually, Stell was irked by the people who stood in the front of the line and chose that time to look over the menu when they could have spent the time they were waiting in line to do so. Especially when people did it during busy times. But he couldn’t find himself bothered at all by the very hot stranger who was letting his eyes roam across the menu in search of an item.

Stell had never been more grateful for his job, or the fact that it was warm enough to be even wearing a t-shirt more in his life.

When the man brought his eyes back down to meet his, Stell put on his award-winning smile, hoping to impress him even just a little bit with it. “Morning! Ready to order?” he chirped, a little louder than he had intended, but the stranger either didn’t mind or he hadn’t noticed.

“Hi,” he greeted, quickly moving onto his order. “I’ll take a large medium roast espresso.”

“Sure, anything else?” Stell smiled brightly.

“No, thank you.” Oh he was polite too. Stell wasn’t sure whether this was even real anymore. How someone could be so good looking, so cute and so polished as well was beyond him but he intended to find out.

“Stell, I’m ready for the next one,” JP nudged him lightly, and without thinking Stell handed the cup to Zio with only the order scribbled across it.

Only when the stranger had moved aside did Stell realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was. He mentally slapped himself, smile twitching slightly as he greeted the next customer as always, repeating the usual words; but his eyes were focused on the gorgeous stranger with the wonderful smile, who was waiting for his order a little ways off to the side.

Stell sighed when he left, momentarily forgetting himself until JP nudged him again. After that, the rest of the morning rush took a lot longer than Stell would have liked, mostly because his brain was far too focused on just who that guy was and why this was the first time Stell had seen him.

He groaned, hands landing on his head against the counter when the store slowed down again and the only people left besides him were JP, Zio and a few customers sitting far off in the booths.

“The counter’s gross. You’ll get coffee in your hair,” JP reminded.

“This is your fault,” Stell muttered under his breath, but the comment didn’t evade Zio's sharp ears.

“What’s my fault? That you were too busy staring at that guy’s face and forgot to ask for his name?”

“You’re so mean to me, JP,” Stell whined, turning his head to the side to glare in Zio's direction. But the other man wasn’t having any of it. Already used to Stell's antics, he shrugged without offering a proper reply. Instead of getting Stell to budge, he moved to clean around where Stell was still lying with his head attached to the counter, ignoring the whines with practiced patience.

“What’s wrong with you?” JP asked, poking Stell's shoulder.

“Leave me alone,” Stell sniffled, burying his head further into his arms, ignoring the fact that it would more than likely result in messing up his hair and face. He had class right after his shift ended and he wouldn’t have time to go back home and shower, but the thought of having let that guy go without even so much as a name had Stell feeling sorry enough for himself to collapse against the dirty counter.

Before JP could answer Stell's self-pity, the bell above the door chimed and Stell snapped back up, practiced smile in place, only to be met with Josh's tired face. “Oh, it’s only you,” he sulked, slumping back down against the counter.

“That’s a fantastic way to greet your roommate and best friend who busted his ass to bring you the stupid caramel syrup you texted me for,” he responded sarcastically, sliding the bottle in his hand across the counter to Zio.

“I’m sorry,” Stell pouted in apology, lips quivering slightly.

“Whoa, are you feeling okay? I was just joking dude, chill,” Josh raised his eyebrows.

“I’m in love,” Stell declared, succumbing to the warm embrace of his arms once more, burying his head deep within the confines.

“You’re dating someone? Oh shit, I didn’t know that,” Josh whistled.

“I wish,” Stell responded with a sigh, memory flashing back to the handsome stranger and his brown eyes, warm complexion, and those smile –

“Oh, so it’s that kind of love. Alright, hit me. What’s his name?” Stell's face twisted down in an offended glare. “You don’t know his name?” Josh asked carefully, lips teetering on the edge of a smile.

“Not yet, but I will. Mark my words, the next time he comes in here I’m going to get his name and his number,” Stell announced firmly.

“That is, if he comes back. You know, this could have been a one time thing,” Josh reminded unhelpfully.

“I take back what I said earlier. I’m firing you,” Stell deadpanned.

To his amusement, his words had the desired effect as Josh apologized profusely, insisting that he clean up after Stell's shift so the other could leave early. The thought made him smile, lifting his spirits slightly but the fact remained that Josh was right: what if this had been a one-time thing and Stell had blown it?

But despite the fact that Stell had never seen the guy before, he had looked like a student. At least he had been dressed like one with his plain navy t-shirt, dark jeans and backpack; and if he was ordering coffee from this store, then he probably went to the same university as Stell did. There were no other schools close by and he looked too young, too put together to have started working already.

Stell knew that was an unsubstantiated assumption to make but really, he just wanted to convince himself that maybe he would run into that handsome stranger on campus. He knew it was a long shot, but just the thought was totally worth it. If this far-fetched idea was the only thing that was going to get him through the day then so be it.

Besides, it was only a temporary solution; Stell was going to figure out that stranger’s name one way or another. It had been a long time since he had felt such a strong attraction to someone at first sight and he’d be damned if he let this kind of opportunity slip through his grasp.

Name and number: that was his plan. He had never failed at something he put his mind to before and if there was anything that had the entirety of his focus currently, it was that unfairly attractive stranger.


	2. Coffee Prince Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

Four days. 

It had been four days since Stell first and last laid eyes on the stranger who had taken over his mind and thoughts. 

Four days and Stell hadn't seen him even once (unless his dreams counted, which Josh rudely pointed out that they didn't). He had been at work every single day this week, whether he was on duty or not in the hopes that he would get to see that guy again. Luck, it turned out, was not on his side.

Stell was going through withdrawal without having even had more than a glance at the man. He had been there long enough to give Stell just what he needed to realize what he was missing but it wasn’t enough to actually satisfy him. No, it wasn’t nearly enough to do anything more than make his heart pine and mind turn to goo.

“Stell, go home,” Justin sighed, pulling out the empty seat across Stell and sitting down. He slid an egg tart across the table as a peace offering.

“No,” Stell pouted defiantly, taking a bite out of the pastry. 

“I told you; we'll tell you if he comes in. You've got one of your friends on every shift possible for the next three weeks straight. If you don't get his name, someone else will,” Justin reasoned. 

“That's the point. I don't want someone else to get his name. I want to get his name,” Stell said petulantly, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in that way he got when things didn’t go his way.

Justin sighed, placing his chin in his hands and resting them on the table, watching Stell with an almost amused expression. “I meant that someone else would get his name for you.”

“That's not what you said though,” Stell argued stubbornly. 

“It was implied,” Justin deadpanned. Stell scoffed in response, making Justin raise his eyebrows. “What's anyone else going to do with his name for a purpose other than to tell you what it is? I'm already dating Ken. Plus, JP only has eyes for Charles even though he denies it's anything but admiration. Am I missing anyone else that you've told about this mystery man of yours?” Justin asked. 

“Ugh stop being logical and let me complain,” Stell snapped, stuffing the rest of his uneaten croissant in his mouth in one go. “And stop reminding me how all of my friends are in perfect relationships while I’m utterly alone,” he added over his mouthful.

Justin bit back a laugh, making Stell frown, but his face hardly looked menacing with his cheeks puffed out like that. “Go home, Stell,“ Justin repeated again. ”It's Friday, and I think you should relax since you're working tomorrow morning anyway. I'll tell you if this guy comes in,” he promised, ignoring Stell's comment about being alone. 

“You don't even know what he looks like,” Stell frowned. “How do I know you won't miss him?”

“Brown eyes, about my height, fair complexion, smooth hair and the smile with braces,” Justin counted off. “Am I missing anything?” he smiled contently, watching Stell's struggling expression. 

“You didn't see his face. Anyone could have those features,” Stell insisted. 

“Zio's working in an hour anyway and he's seen your man. Are you going to leave willingly or am I going to have to kick you out?” Justin threatened. 

“You know, I could fire you for this kind of behaviour,” Stell remarked airily, but the idea of Justin calling that stranger his man had placated him a little. 

“But you won't so just get out. You're dampening the mood with your sour expression,” Justin sighed. Stell watched him check his watch with a frown before giving him a pointed look. “I've got to go prepare for the evening rush. Go enjoy your Friday like a normal person instead of moping around here,” Justin instructed, packing Stell's uneaten egg tart back into the paper bag it had come in and waving it in his face. 

“Hey, I was eating that!” Stell huffed, grabbing the bag from Justin's hand and making his way to the door. He was met with a light chuckle and a firm push. 

He hated to admit it, but Justin was right. He was moping at best, which was unlike him to do over someone he didn't even really know. Stell Ajero didn’t mope over a guy; he was the one who was usually being pursued, not the other way around dammit. He shouldn’t have been acting like a high schooler with their first crush except that he was. He didn’t know what made him angrier: the fact that he had a crush on a guy who he had no way of contacting or the fact that this guy hadn’t come back since Monday.

It was unfair of him to pin the blame for his feelings on the stranger but really, it was the easiest thing for him to do.

Especially when he got back home to find Josh and his girl snuggled on the couch, looking incredibly adorable and happy.

Stell wasn’t a petty person. Okay, that was a lie, he was petty but never when it came to his friends. Still, he couldn’t help but snap an angry, “Don’t you have to get ready for work?” before stomping loudly towards his own room.

They weren’t even doing anything except watching a movie together; yet just the sight of Josh and his girlfriend so happy worsened his mood slightly, only until he realized he was being a shitty friend and then he was met with a lump of guilt settling deep within his stomach. He knew he should apologize, but just the thought of leaving the room was unappealing and so he opted to apologize later. Instead, he changed into comfier clothes and wrapped himself up in his blankets. It was only 6 pm, yet Stell wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and end his terrible day.

This was supposed to be a good year. He was halfway through his degree, he had a great apartment close to campus, he had a good-paying job and he had his friends close by. Everything about that screamed good, no, great but somehow, Stell couldn’t help but feel that the year couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start.

He knew he was being dramatic. He was infatuated at best; he didn’t even know anything about the guy besides what he looked like, but Stell couldn’t help it. It had been far too long since he had wanted to get to know someone that badly, to want to see another person that badly and he was pissed his resolution to find the man’s name and get his number was utterly failing. If only he could see him again.

“You have ten seconds to open the door before I break in,” Josh's voice called from the other side, cutting off Stell's negative train of thought.

“Go away!”

“Alright, I warned you,” was the only reply Stell got before he heard a loud bang. He quickly threw off the blankets and stared wide-eyed at his door, or well, what was once his door but was now threatening to fall off its hinges.

“What the fuck did you do?” Stell gaped.

“Melted the lock off,” Josh grinned.

“Holy shit, did you take chemicals from the lab again? You know you could get expelled for that!” Stell yelled, shuffling further into his bed because who knew what kind of stuff Josh had used on the door. “You’re going to turn our apartment into a science dump,” he complained.

“I didn’t take chemicals from the lab! I bought them,” Josh insisted, eyeing the loosely held door warily before stepping into Stell's room. “One day when you get awesome super powers, you’ll be thanking me,” he hummed.

“More like one day, when I’m dying because of too much exposure to unknown chemicals, I’m going to be sending you my hospital bill,” Stell scoffed. “No, stay away from me and don’t you dare take your gloves off in here,” Stell scuffled back and away from Josh's figure that threatened to approach him.

“Alright, this is against everything I learn anyway, so I’ll listen to you just this once. Just get out of bed and go change. We’re going out,” he announced, heading out towards the hallway.

“I don’t want to go out,” Stell responded stubbornly. “I’m comfy where I am!”

“Too bad you don’t have a choice. How about we say that you going out makes us even for your uncalled for temper tantrum earlier?” Josh grinned.

Stell had the decency to blush but he wasn't going to give in that easily. “What about any of this,” he pointed to his beaten up door, “looks fair to you?”

“Fine, I’ll buy you dinner too,” Josh called over his shoulder. “Just go get changed. I’m tired of watching you act like a spinster when you’re only 20. And I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer so unless you want to hear another mini explosion you’ll get changed and be ready to leave in 10 minutes!” he shouted, already having reached his own room.

Stell sighed, watching his beaten up door warily before pushing himself out of bed. Well, at least he was getting a free dinner out of this. And maybe a slight distraction from his feelings, which he was sorely in need of. He pushed the door closed gingerly, only to hear it wobble and scrape against the floor. “I’m not paying for the door either!” Stell shouted once more before reaching for a change of clothes.

Going out with Josh was never just a ‘dinner’ thing. One thing Stell had learned back in his first year when he was presented with Josh as his dorm mate was that the man could party. And hold his alcohol, which was pretty impressive considering he was an athlete in high school and wouldn’t have had much of a chance to drink.

Yet, he could outdrink most people Stell knew without so much as batting an eye. Stell liked to believe he was some kind of accident. 

Another thing Stell had learned was that while Josh had the liver capacity of an entire army, he did not. He was the dictionary definition of a lightweight and the very worst thing he could do was to let Josh offer him drinks, since neither of them knew their own limits. Two years of getting used to Josh's behaviour and Stell was still susceptible to his pleads of ‘just a few more minutes then we’ll go home,’ which was how he found himself hungover and incredibly tired at work on a Saturday at 6 am.

“You’re late,” he snapped at JP, who entered the premise with a sheepish grin.

“Sorry, sorry!” he apologized before taking a seat. Their small chitchat did nothing to ease up his sour mood.

“He also blew up my door,” Stell joined. 

“He what? How'd he do that? You know what, never mind I don't want to know. That sounds criminal and we both know I can't live with those kinds of secrets,” JP shuddered, eyes flashing knowingly. 

Safe to say, Josh was banned from experimenting in the dorms. 

“He's never going to change,” Stell sighed fondly. 

“He's either going to end up creating something incredibly successful one day or landing his ass in jail.”

“Or both,” Stell offered. 

“Or both,” JP confirmed. 

And with that, he moved to check the machines were running properly before making himself a drink.

\-----  
Saturday mornings were pretty quiet at Coffee Prince, which was why there were only two employees working that shift. Well, only one who was really working because Stell had spent most of his morning sitting at one of the empty tables with a latte in one hand and his phone in the other, browsing what was new with everyone he knew. 

His eyes shifted towards JP every so often to make sure things were running smoothly but the other man wasn't having much trouble so other than that, Stel was left to waste time. 

The people who came in so early on Saturday were few thanks to the fact that most of their customers were students and the last thing any student wanted to do was voluntarily get out of bed on the weekend.

His hangover was starting to go away and his mood had improved significantly but Stell's eyes still flashed to the door at the telltale chime every time it was opened. He was met with disappointment however, when anyone who walked in wasn't who he wanted to see. 

“I'm going to check the stocks,” he announced around 11. Stell paused for a confirmation before heading to the back room to do an inventory check. Their next delivery order was due by that afternoon so that it could get there for Monday on time. The last time Stell let anyone else other than him double check the stocks, they had ended up with way more chocolate syrup than they could ever want. 

It had taken a lot of marketing to make people want that much chocolate before the syrup expired, but somehow they pulled it off. That had been the very last time Stell didn't do the ordering himself.

He didn't particularly want to count inventory, but he didn't have a choice. It was menial either way and within moments, Stell was mindlessly ticking things off his clipboard and running numbers through his head. He almost got lost in the task… almost. Only when he heard a shout from within the store and JP's panicked voice seeping in did Stell realize where he was and within moments he was back in the front. 

The first thing he noticed was that JP was leaning across the counter, dabbing furiously at a customer's front. The second thing Stell noticed was that it wasn't just any customer, but the stranger Stell had been so looking forward to seeing since he first laid eyes on him on Monday. 

He felt his face light up in glee but it was cut short at the realization that the stranger's front was absolutely soaked in coffee. It was then that horror overcame his short-lived happiness and Stell rushed towards the counter, face pale and fingers trembling; he could feel sweat start to seep into his palms but he rubbed his hands against his apron to no avail.

“I am so sorry man, I can't believe I did that. Please don't tell my boss,” JP whispered far too loudly, unaware of Stell's figure right behind him. 

“Don't tell your boss, what?” Stell narrowed his eyes. 

JP moved aside, whimpering slightly and it was then that Stell noticed that the coffee JP had spilled on the guy had been piping hot. His anger at JP's clumsiness was forgotten when he noticed the red patches that were starting to line the man’s collarbones. 

Stell felt his throat go dry. He had never been more embarrassed before in his life and this time, it wasn’t even of his own doing. “Get some ice,” he motioned to JP.

“It's okay, I'm fine really,” the handsome stranger in question insisted. But JP had already turned away, thankful to get away from Stell. “I've spilled coffee on myself before. It's no big deal,” he smiled. 

If Stell wasn't so concerned about how bad this looked, he would have relished in the dimples that had appeared on the man's face.

Oh who was he kidding? Stell still let himself get distracted by the way the skin in his cheeks caved in and accentuated the man’s smile. 

“I am so sorry, he didn't mean it,” Stell covered for JP. “He's a good barista, sometimes a klutz but not usually. I'm sorry you ended up with coffee on you. Let me make you a new one. On the house,” he insisted. 

“Sure, but don't go too hard on the guy,” the stranger laughed. Stell felt his heart clench and unclench at the sight of those wonderful dimples again. “Accidents happen; I can sympathize,” he assured.

God, he was so nice, too?! The list of redeeming qualities was never ending for this guy. Stell wasn't sure whether to weep with happiness that such an amazing person existed or weep in misery that he didn't know more about him. 

His eyes lit up when he realized that he could ask for a name this time. But before Stell could ask his question, JP ran back with ice and a clean shirt in hand. 

“Here,” he handed to the man. “I feel really bad for ruining your shirt so please take one of mine. We seem to be around the same size,” he motioned between them. 

“Are you sure?” the stranger asked nervously. 

“I insist. I promise it's clean,” JP waved the items in his hand insistently.

“Thanks man,” he nodded towards JP, accepting the clean shirt and the ice. He looked towards Stell with that nice smile again before something crossed his face and his smile was replaced by a frown. He looked down at his watch and cursed. “Shit, I'm late for a meeting. I think I'll leave the coffee for another time,” he said hurriedly. He didn’t even give Stell a chance to protest as he headed out the door.

Stell sighed, watching his back disappear. It was kind of mesmerizing seeing the muscles at work even hidden beneath his clothes. But the distraction of the stranger's unfairly attractive everything wasn't enough to deter Stell from unleashing his wrath on JP. 

The moment the man’s back was out of sight, Stell turned his full attention towards JP, who was cowering beneath the glare.

“Don't tell my boss,” he quoted angrily. JP whimpered under the intensity of Stell's words. “So what, you were going to let him leave and not tell me he was here to cover your own fuck-up?" Stell narrowed his eyes. 

“Would saying 'I'm sorry', help?” JP asked meekly. 

“No,” Stell snapped. “But you know what, I could have looked past that had I gotten his name. Except you ruined that too by coming in right when I was about to ask!” Stell yelled. 

They were lucky the only customer in the store was sitting with his headphones around his ears, music turned up so high that Stell could hear it from his place behind the counter. He knew it wasn't JP's fault and he was being a bit unprofessional but having let the man go two times now without even so much as a name was taking its toll on Stell. 

He was never this bad at getting to know someone. He had never had so much trouble remembering just what to do, what to say around another person before.

The change of pace was difficult to adjust to and the truth was, Stell didn’t want to adjust to it. He didn’t think he had to.

So then why was it becoming such a problem for him to get one damn name?

“I’m sorry,” JP said dejectedly. “I really didn’t mean to embarrass you. I was actually trying to show him the new mixed blend coffee you made the other day so I could talk you up and then have a reason to call you back without it looking suspicious but I got too excited and tripped over my own feet,” he explained sadly.

Stell felt his lips twitch, hands uncrossing to hang loosely by his side. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. JP looked at him with a pout and Stell couldn’t handle it anymore. Staying angry with JP took too much energy and if his explanation was anything to go by, he really hadn’t meant any harm. How was he supposed to stay pissed when all JP was trying to do was be a good friend?

Even if his way of going about it was skewed.

“It’s fine,” he answered eventually. JP sprang up at the declaration and wrapped himself around Stell. “He’s never going to come back here again, is he?” Stell asked sadly, leaning into JP's hug.

“Hey, you don’t know that. He did say another time, so he might.”

“That’s just something people say to be polite. I bet he couldn’t wait to get out of here.”

“You’re a great catch, Stell. If he doesn’t come back then he’s an idiot,” JP nodded, tightening his embrace around Stell.

“Thanks, I guess,” Stell accepted the compliment, even if JP was only saying it to get back on his good side.

The truth was, Jp was always on his good side. Stell would never stoop so low as to let a crush based on an attraction get in the way of his friendships. All the same, he couldn’t help but watch the door with an almost reminiscent expression, wondering if he’d get to see the front and not just the back of that man again.

Or if he’d ever get his damn name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in the midst of fic writers getting scolded by some fans in our fandom, I hope we could express our artistic take on our favorite ships here and other platforms


	3. Coffee Prince Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was this coffee shop au so far? Wouldn't be nice if we have encountered a Stell, Josh or Justin as baristas 😍

“So I see that you have a name,” Josh lifted up his right hand, “and a number,” followed by his left hand. “Oh wait, those are just my hands. You have neither of the things you so firmly decided you would get the next time you saw him,” he smirked.

Stell glared mid-way through making Josh's drink. That was a poor rendition to a PPAP song, he thought. He was tempted to exchange the green tea base for chamomile but decided against wasting precious ingredients just to see Josh angry.

“What the fuck? No need to rub it in,” Stell glared, handing him his iced green tea. “And tell JP I’m docking him pay. I can’t believe he told you about that,” Stell complained, wiping the ice machine with a lot more vigour than it required. He placed the dirty cloth in the sink, turning his attention back to Josh.

“That’s a violation of workers’ rights. Anyway, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Josh shot back, making himself comfortable against the stool he had occupied.

“See if I care,” Stell snapped, pointedly ignoring the second comment. He wasn’t actually going to dock JP pay, but he was a little ticked off that he had told Josh about seeing the stranger. “You know, this is all his fault. Did he also tell you that?”

“Of course he did. He told me all about how he dumped a piping hot cup of coffee all over your mystery man’s front and then let him take one of his shirts. If I didn’t know any better I’d say JP was gunning for your guy,” Josh smirked unhelpfully.

“That’s neither funny nor is it true, and you know it,” Stell deadpanned. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the thought. Josh was right: JP had given the stranger his shirt, which was a kind gesture in retrospect but it didn’t make Stell's petty heart feel any ease.

“Dude, relax,” Josh laughed when Stell's eye twitched visibly. “I thought you knew it was a joke,” he placated.

“Why are you even here, Josh?” Stell asked, trying to ignore the wide grin on Josh's face.

“Because lucky for you, I’m a much better friend than JP is. Be prepared to owe me for the rest of this lifetime and every other one,” Josh explained dramatically.

“What are you on about?” Stell narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like the tone of voice Josh was using; it was unnerving and far too mysterious. Nothing good ever came out of Josh using that tone. It was his, ‘I’ve got a plan’ voice and Stell had been on the accomplice end of that tone far more times than he’d have liked to be.

“John Paulo Nase.”

“Huh?” Stell asked just as confused, if not more than earlier.

“That’s his name,” Josh continued.

“Whose name?”

“Your mystery man, who else? John Paulo Nase. Look him up on social media if you don’t believe me,” Josh smirked at Stell's gaping expression.

“No fucking way! How’d you get his name? You haven’t even seen him! You’re lying,” Stell accused, but he pulled out his phone all the same and furiously typed the characters away, all while speaking. He almost dropped his device on the floor when the stranger’s handsome face appeared on his screen.

“Holy shit, it’s him!!!” Stell screeched, covering his face with his hands momentarily before composing himself and clicking on the display picture. “Fuck, look at those smile,” Stell cried, shoving the phone so close to Josh's face that the other man had to back off his stool to avoid getting hit by it.

“I know, I already saw,” Josh waved Stell's extended hand away from his face disinterestedly. He raised an eyebrow at Stell's forgotten composure but otherwise remained quiet, letting Stell drool over his phone.

“Is it wrong of me to be so turned on by just a picture? You know what, don’t answer that, because if it’s wrong, I don’t want to be right,” Stell sighed, eyes glossing over.

He couldn’t help but take in every detail of John Paulo's display picture. The way his eyes were closed in a crinkled smile, the way his hair was flopped across his head, matted with a slight bit of sweat. His eyes swept over the smidge of dirt on his left cheek that was accentuated by his adorable dimples, his sleeved rolled up to his shoulders that were exposing his incredibly toned arms and biceps as he had one arm wrapped around the shoulder of an older man.

Stell guessed the older man in the picture was his father. If the striking resemblance was anything to go by. The picture seemed to have been taken in the summer given John Paulo's slightly darker complexion.

“I’ve never been attracted to sweet guys before but wow, he’s really pulling off that look,” Stell positively swooned.

“Gross, please keep your perverted thoughts to yourself,” Josh wrinkled his nose.

“Oh, please that’s nothing,” Stell waved airily, zooming into the picture. So maybe he was being a little stalkerish but he was deprived, dammit. He couldn’t help himself from gazing unabashedly at John Paulo's attractive features. “The caption says something about his baby – I wonder if that’s his car,” Stell hummed aloud.

Josh raised his eyebrows disapprovingly. “And that’s important because?”

“Well I’ve never really been much of a fan of the idea of sex in a car but I’d let him fuck me in it, on it, against it, whatever, any day,” Stell beamed.

“Well that escalated. Give me your phone; this was a bad idea,” Josh reached his hands out and flicked his fingers expectantly.

“No way!” Stell yelled, taking a step back. He had never been more thankful for the counter between them. Most days, Stell wished the space would disappear so it would be easier to wind Josh's head in a headlock but today, he was grateful for the foot of space blocking him from Josh's reach.

“Oh boo, his posts are private and only his display picture is visible,” Stell pouted when he flicked the screen to the left and was met with nothing new to stare at.

“Oh yeah, such a tragedy that he practices online awareness,” Josh rolled his eyes.

“It is for me,” Stell complained. Josh ignored the pout, opting to distract himself with his drink instead. “But I guess this picture will have to do for now.” Stell was met with a disbelieving snort from Josh, which he pointedly ignored.

“So how’d you get his name, anyway?” Stell asked, remembering how he had come to staring at a photo of John Paulo on his phone instead of working in the first place. He placed the phone back in his pocket, afraid that if he left it anywhere near Josh the other man might take it from him. If a picture was all he could get, then a picture was what he would take… for now anyway.

“He’s in Ken's classes. Same program, same year,” Josh shrugged, sipping his drink through the straw.

“So he’s a transfer student?”

“He must be if Ken said he was new.”

“I’m grateful and all for you figuring out his name, but that doesn’t exactly explain how you knew it was him,” Stell prodded curiously.

“Well if you really must know, I took a stab at it. We saw him at the library yesterday. Ken just casually nodded his head in John Paulo's direction. Ken said ‘I think that guy’s new. He’s in all of my classes but I’ve never seen him before,’ which is what tipped me off. I asked Ken if he knew what his name was, he did, I looked him up and thought it could be him from your description,” Josh explained.

“You knew since last night and you didn’t tell me until right now? It’s almost 7 pm so that makes it just about 24 hours you’ve withheld vital information from me,” Stell screeched.

“Why am I not surprised that the only important thing you got out of all of that was the part where I didn’t immediately tell you? I had plans last night, and a full day of classes today, you bastard,” Josh defended.

“Fine, fine, you’re forgiven. John Paulo, huh? Nice name, although Paulo alone sounds even nicer. Too bad we haven’t gotten to that stage yet,” Stell sighed, pulling out his phone once more.

“Dude, I don’t think you’ve even gotten to any stage yet,” Josh reminded. “It feels weird saying his name when he doesn’t even know we know it, doesn’t it?” he asked, but was met with silence. 

Josh looked up to see that Stell was positively glowing at the picture on his screen.

“Oi, stop being a weirdo! Whatever you do, don’t accidentally say his name until he tells you. You’re not supposed to know, remember?” Josh swiped at Stell's hand.

“Ugh, I’m not an idiot,” he defended. “And will you quit reminding me of my failures?” Stell flicked Josh's hand away. “I’ve very aware that I haven’t seen him since Saturday and I still haven’t gotten a name out of him,” he moped.

Josh laughed, much to Stell's dismay. “Don’t look so grumpy. You know a bit about him so if it comes down to it. Just go accidentally run into him on campus or something. You have the excuse of knowing someone in his classes so it won’t look that strange.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Stell hummed thoughtfully.

“Just remember that I said if it comes down to it. Anyway, I’ve got to run. My girl wants to go to some video animation convention,” he waved.

“Alright, have fun, enjoy your date,” Stell sighed, watching Josh leave the store with a wave. He figured he had slacked off enough and let the new hire, an adorable but shy first-year named Yuuki, handle taking on the customers for long enough. 

Evenings only got busy once the school year was back at full capacity, but it was still only the second week. Stell supposed he could revel in the peacefulness of it for a little while longer.

“You can go home early if you’d like, Yuuki. Justin should be coming in any minute now, and there aren’t very many people here so I can handle it,” he smiled.

“Oh, thank you Sir Stell! I’ll see you tomorrow!” the newbie promised, smiling brightly. Yuuki took off the black apron, the teal accents around the pockets and the straps of fabric used to tie it behind his back flickering against his black slacks as he ran off towards the employee room.

Stell watched him go fondly. He had only been working since Sunday, but he was bright and excited about work, so that was something. Stell usually didn’t like it when first-years took on a job so early on in the year, especially when they weren’t settled into the routine of school or aware of the heavy workload that could pile up at any moment. But he was reminded of himself a little watching the younger kid. After all, he had jumped at the opportunity to work at Coffee Prince in his first year so it would have been unfair of him to turn a biased eye against those in the very same shoes.

“STELL~!!!”

Stell jumped at the shout that was accompanied by a loud slam as the door was thrown open on its hinges. He was met with the flushed face of Justin, who apologized to the customers at the front before rushing over to the front.

“You’ll never believe what I found out!” he said excitedly, gripping Stell by the shoulders and pulling him in close. With the proximity, Stell could see Justin's hair was parted wildly and a light sheen of sweat covered his forehead. It looked like he had run here.

Stell pulled away from his grip, smoothing out the wrinkles in the sleeves of his white, collared work shirt. “John Paulo Nase,” Stell responded easily, satisfied with the way Justin's jaw dropped open at the answer.

“How did you know what I was going to say? Never mind that! How did you find out his name? Did you see him again? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Justin huffed.

“I did not see him again, unfortunately,” Stell said pointedly. “But Josh did some snooping. Turns out he’s in Ken's program but I’m guessing that’s how you knew too.”

“I can’t believe he got the jump on me. And here I was thinking that I’d solved the mystery and you’d owe me for the rest of your life,” Justin sighed.

“Sorry babe, I already owe Josh and not just this lifetime but apparently in every life,” Stell laughed. It was moments like these that Stell was reminded of how great his friends really were. He couldn’t believe Justin had come in looking so dishevelled just because he wanted to tell Stell a possible name. The thought made his heart swell until he felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

“If it’s any consolation, you’re still the better friend. He knew since last night and didn’t tell me till about ten minutes ago,” Stell added.

“Obviously I’m the better friend,” Justin said factually. All the same, he smiled widely at the proclamation. “I’m going to go change and make myself look presentable. Is Yuuki still here?” he asked looking around.

“No, I think he left through the back door. I let him go only a few moments before you came in.”

“Oh boo, I was looking forward to seeing him again. He’s so adorable, I want to adopt him as my little brother,” Justin cooed.

“Don’t scare him off,” Stell laughed, but he could sympathize.

“Yeah, yeah, I’d never. Alright, be back in a few,” Justin promised before he slipped into the employee room.

Stell smiled, hand reaching for his phone again for one reason, and one reason only. Before Stell could let himself be pulled into the clutches of that rabbit hole he knew he wasn’t going to come out of, the bell chimed. 

Stell's face twitched – but whether it was in relief for having a reason to not look at that one picture of John Paulo on his phone. Or whether it was in disappointment for that very same reason was still beyond him.

All the same, he moved towards the cash register to ring up the new orders.

A few minutes later, Justin came out to help him. Stell didn’t mind working the first shift of the day – his terrible sleeping schedule turned out to be an asset in that case – but if he was being honest, his favourite shift was the closing one. It was the calmest, and while it didn’t come with the set routine that the morning shift came with, it still had its perks.

Ignoring the strange people that tended to walk in at the later hours. The only people who were left during closing time were students who were still busy at work. It was soothing and calming; just the thing Stell needed before bed. And they were often polite too. Leaving when they were asked to without so much as a complaint.

When it neared 11 pm, the only thing Stell had to deal with most days was making sure the store was clean for the early open the next day.

So when he heard the familiar chime of the door, he frowned. “I’m sorry but we’re closed,” he called over his shoulder, putting the wet cloth in his hands aside to see who it was that had come in so late. When he turned around, his jaw very nearly dropped open, but he caught himself at the last minute.

It was none other than John Paulo standing with one foot inside the store and one foot outside, looking slightly embarrassed and hesitant. “Ah yeah! that’s my bad. I should have read the sign,” he apologized, moving back.

“Wait!” Stell called before he could stop himself. He didn’t know what he wanted to say but he couldn’t let John Paulo walk away again without some kind of confirmation that he would see him again. 

Stell was aware of Justin's eyes boring holes into his back from his place near the booths. Stell knew what Justin wanted him to do. But once the initial ‘wait’ had been out of his mouth, he found his brain had suddenly stopped functioning.

“Uhm,” John Paulo answered, bringing Stell back to the reality of it all. John Paulo had stepped inside the store now, still looking as sheepish as ever. With his hands stuffed in the pockets of his dark jeans. Stell noticed he was still sporting a t-shirt (black this time) but now, he had on a light bomber jacket, which made his already broad shoulders look even broader, the way the black jacket flowed with the black t-shirt underneath.

He looked good, really good.

Stell wasn’t sure he was going to come out of this alive anymore. Somehow though, his brain started functioning enough to make him realize if there were a longer silence between them, things would get awkward.

“I’m sorry,” Stell offered hesitantly.

John Paulo looked at him with an amused smile. “What are you apologizing for?”

“I’d make you a drink right now but we already turned off the machines and cleaned everything,” Stell explained. Unsure why he was even telling him that. 

The way that John Paulo's face crinkled in a soft smile however had Stell mentally cheering because apparently that was the right thing to say.

“That’s alright,l. I’ll come back another time,” John Paulo ran a hand through his hair nervously.

“Tomorrow,” Stell said suddenly, surprising even himself.

“Pardon?”

“Come back tomorrow,” Stell cleared his throat. He was suddenly feeling short on air. His words sounded clipped off at the end. “I still owe you a free drink, remember?” Stell smiled hesitantly.

“Yeah, alright,” John Paulo nodded thoughtfully, as if the idea of coming back tomorrow hadn’t occurred to him until Stell suggested it. “I’ll come by tomorrow. See you then,” he let his eyes flick down to the nametag pinned on Stell's chest, “Stell.” And with that, he turned around and headed out the door.

The moment John Paulo had called his name, Stell felt like his heart had stopped beating. He wasn’t sure what breathing even was anymore. Only when Justin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder was Stell reminded of just why he was feeling the way he was.

“Justin,” Stell sighed sadly.

“Hmm?” Justin answered, trying to hold back a laugh.

“You have to tell Ken to befriend him. I apparently don’t know how to ask someone for their name anymore. And if I don’t have a reason to know his soon. I’m going to accidentally blurt it out. Please, tell Ken to befriend him and I’ll do whatever you want. Screw Josh, I’m ready to sell you my soul,” Stell begged dramatically.

“Oh sweetie, you did fine! I’m actually quite impressed with the fact that you managed to ask him to come back tomorrow. That’s progress if I ever saw any,” Justin comforted.

Stell whimpered. “I’ve met my match, apparently,” he sighed, feeling defeated. Although there was a part of him that was turned on by the fact that John Paulo could blow him away with just a smile.

“You know, it’s actually kind of a refreshing change of pace,” Justin hummed. “Maybe not for you, but it reassures all us mere mortals that if Stellvester Ajero can be stumped by a person’s appearance, then anyone can,” he laughed, dodging the hand Stell threw in his direction.

“That’s not funny. You’re a terrible friend,” Stell whined.

“And yet, you still need me to sweet talk Ken,” Justin hummed knowingly.

Stell's lips twitched as he thought his words over carefully. In the end, he decided that complaining about his friends wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He could deal with a little bit (or a lot) of teasing if it earned him the outcome he so desired in the end.

“I take back what I said earlier. You’re a great friend,” Stell said with a practiced smile.

“So fickle,” Justin chuckled. But it turned into a full on laugh when he noticed the sulky pout on Stell's face. “I’m just teasing you. But if that’s what you want me to do, I will. Talk to Ken that is,” he confirmed.

“I…” Stell paused. “Yeah, I’m going to need all the help I can get with this one,” he sighed sadly. He hated to admit it. He wasn’t sure he could do this on his own anymore. But what were friends for if they didn’t help you out with your crushes?

“Hey, don’t give me that look. You’ll see him tomorrow. You’ve got plenty of time to practice on how you’ll ask for a name. So this time you’ll be prepared,” Justin smiled, squeezing his shoulder lightly. “Now come on, it’s getting late and I’m working early tomorrow,” he ordered, pushing a wet cloth back in Stell's hands.

Stell accepted the cloth and returning to what he was doing before John Paulo walked in. But he’d be lying if he said the task at hand had his full attention. Justin was right, he did have time to prepare. And this time, definitely this time, he was going to get John Paulo's name from his own mouth even if it was the very last thing he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have you enjoyed this so far? comments would be lovely~


	4. Coffee Prince Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: THIS CHAPTER IS N-17 and/or R-18 !!!

Stell would never have used the word desperate to describe himself. Ever. Except he was learning that one John Paulo Nase could turn him into something he didn’t think he would turn into in a million years.

He hated that word. It was ugly and made him sound like someone who wasn’t worth it. But Stell liked to think that he was worth it. He was very aware of his good looks, and while some people thought his looks was overbearing, it wasn’t exactly terrible. Maybe he was biased but he had enough friends who actually seemed to care about him. So he was inclined to believe that he was a great catch. He was smart; he had his future planned out and a promising career in management.

So why he had stooped to the point of feeling desperate was beyond him.

But besides that, apparently John Paulo could turn Stell into an idiot as well. He had come home a little before midnight, pleased to let Josh know that he had run into John Paulo again at the store and had secured a meeting with him the next day, only to be met with a blunt ‘Did he tell you his name?’ followed by a ‘When exactly tomorrow?’

It was then that Stell realized the following day was a Wednesday. And he couldn’t very well spend his whole day at Coffee Prince in the hopes that John Paulo would show up because he had classes.

He was an idiot, in every sense that wasn’t academic, because how could he have forgotten something so important? Which was how he found himself tossing and turning all night until about 5 am. At which point he kicked off his blankets and decided to get ready for the day.

If Stell couldn’t sleep then he would make sure he looked so great that the next time John Paulo saw him he would be completely blown away.

Stell was lucky that despite having terrible sleeping habits, the bags under his eyes were minimal. The under eye circles weren’t large they were easy enough to cover up. Still, that didn’t stop him from scrutinizing every last bit of his appearance as he tried to find any fault.

He was being far too nitpicky. He wasn’t even sure if John Paulo would be standing close enough to notice any of the imperfections. But if Stell could see them then they had to go. Besides, it was a way to distract him from the realization that he was going to see John Paulo today… hopefully. That reminded him that he needed to figure out just how to narrow down the time frame.

Stell:  
what time does Ken have class today?

He got a response within moments. Lucky for him, Justin was awake and already at work.

Justin:  
first class is at 9 but he doesn’t end till 4.  
full day with not much of a chance for breaks in between.

Stell:  
ty (づ￣ ³￣)づ

So his best chance was before 9 am or after 4 pm. Unfortunately for Stell, his first class of the day was at 8 am, so the best he could do was wish on every deity out there that John Paulo didn’t decide to come in then. If Stell missed his chance again, he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to stop himself from doing something stupid like walking into one of John Paulo's lectures and plopping down right next to him.

Or maybe on him.

Stell shook the thought from his mind, trying to think of anything else other than what it would feel like to sit on John Paulo's thighs. They looked firm, Stell had decided as he stared at the picture again when he couldn’t sleep earlier. Before he could let that train of thought take him down the path of no return, he decidedly put it away.

He wasn’t going to think about that right now. He was going to get his name, dammit, and then maybe let himself indulge in that fantasy.

But the name came first. He had some standards, at least.

It was with that thought that he got himself ready for the day. Stell knew he was going to be almost an hour early for class – it only took him 10 minutes max to make it to his first lecture hall – but he couldn’t sit around at home any longer. At least this way, he had the chance to run into John Paulo before class started.

He tested his luck by hovering inside the coffee shop until about 5 minutes before his class started. At which point Justin rushed him out and insisted that if John Paulo came in early, he would let Stell know and feign ignorance to the free coffee so he was forced to return at a time when Stell was working. The plan sounded too far-fetched and Stell had a feeling that if that happened, John Paulo might just take his chances elsewhere. But what other choice did Stell have?

After all, he did have class to get to. And while he was inclined to skip his first one of the day just for the chance to see John Paulo, Justin knew Stell's schedule inside out and refused to let him stoop so low.

Stell would be lying if he said he could focus on his classes. He was too nervous, too preoccupied with thoughts of one man and one man only. He kept checking his phone, messaging Justin who had a day off from school – damn him and his lucky schedule – but was met with a ‘focus on class!!!’ reply every time.

That was much easier said than done. His notes were terrible and Stell wasn’t sure he had even learned a single thing his professors had been droning on about. Usually, he was very good at paying attention in class but today, his focus was nonexistent.

I don’t even know him, not really, and he’s already got me like this?! Stell couldn’t help but think. The thought should have made him angry, instead it just made him feel giddy. He was so in over his head.

When his last lecture of the day ended at 2 pm, Stell packed his bag as quickly as possible and headed towards the coffee shop even though he knew John Paulo wouldn’t be able to make it there until at least 4 pm when his classes ended. Still, he was too jittery to sit around on campus and attempt to do some work until then, so he opted for settling himself inside the store.

Stell told himself he would get his work done. It would be easier since he was already there, but that was a lie. His eyes kept peering over his laptop screen every time the door chimed. Which happened a lot during the afternoon, making it absolutely impossible to focus on his school work.

At around 6 pm, when Stell's shift was about to start, he sighed, pushing his belongings into his bag and headed towards the employee room to change. He had gotten absolutely nothing done in the 4 hours after his last class and before his shift. He had barely eaten dinner, stomach too tense and coiled to allow for much digestion. Stell knew he was going to regret it later on during the night. For the time being, his mind had other things to worry about. Like how John Paulo still hadn’t come in yet.

“Do you think he’ll come?” Stell asked hesitantly between preparing drinks.

“I’m sure he will,” Justin responded easily.

“You have to say that, you’re my friend,” Stell pointed out.

“Then why’d you even ask me?” Justin chuckled lightly before adding, “He’ll come.”

Stell frowned. “You sound too confident. What do you know that I don’t?” he narrowed his eyes in his friend’s direction. Justin hummed, shrugging vaguely in response. 

Before Stell could pester him further however, the door swung open to reveal Ken with John Paulo in tow. Stell whipped his head from the door towards Justin who had conveniently moved to the farthest cash register to ring up the new orders. 

Ken greeted Stell with a smile and a nod before moving towards Justin's queue. For a brief, panic-stricken moment, Stell thought that John Paulo was going to follow Ken's lead.But he took one look at Krn then turned his attention towards Stell and walked straight towards him.

John Paulo smiled when he reached the counter. Stell almost let out a choked whimper at the action. He caught himself though before that could happen, however he was very aware of how loudly his heart was beating in his chest.

“You came,” Stell smiled, voice coming out breathless. He hadn’t realized he hadn’t been breathing until he was suddenly met with a tight feeling in his lungs.

“I was promised a free drink. How could I resist?” John Paulo teased.

Stell knew he hadn't meant it like that but he couldn't help the disappointment from seeping into his words. “Oh.” 

“I mean, that's not all but it was a good bonus,” John Paulo cleared his throat nervously. Stell's eyes widened at the hint! A blush found its way to his cheeks but before he could comment, John Paulo was speaking again. “Actually, I'm surprised you remembered the offer. I for sure thought you'd have forgotten,” he admitted. 

“I always keep my word I'll have you know!” Stell said with mock offense. “And I have a pretty good memory,” he added. He wasn’t sure why he was telling John Paulo this but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

But apparently that was the right thing to say because he was rewarded by a small chuckle followed by a smile. Stell was certain his heart had stopped beating momentarily at the sight of his grin and those adorably caved in cheeks. 

“Anyway,” he cleared his throat. “What can I make for you?” he asked brightly.

“Uhm,” John Paulo started off nervously. “I’m not really much of a fancy coffee drinker,” he admitted. “I actually just ordered the first thing I saw the first time I came in here and didn’t exactly have a chance to order the last two times,” he laughed shakily.

Stell wasn’t sure whether or not to be appalled by his admittance to not drinking fancy coffee – really? Most of the stuff in the store couldn’t even be described as fancy but he’d leave that for another time. The other part of him was absolutely thrilled that John Paulo had come in despite the fact that long-named caffeinated drinks weren’t his thing – that meant there was another reason he had come in, right? Before he could think about what that was, John Paulo was speaking again.

“Oh hey, the guy who lent me his shirt was raving about something new that you made. I think I’ll try whatever that was,” he responded rummaging in his bag for something. “Speaking of, do you mind giving this back to him when you see him? Tell him it’s washed,” he explained, handing a bag across the counter to Stell. He could only assume JP's shirt was inside it.

“Uhm,” Stell took the bag, too shocked at the suddenness to really be able to wrap his mind around what was happening. John Paulo seemed to have mistaken Stell's hesitance as something else however, as his face turned down in a frown.

“You didn’t fire him, right? I’d feel really bad if that happened because of me,” he said suddenly, face twisting slightly.

“What? No, JP still works here. Sorry I was just a little surprised,” Stell reassured. “Besides, I think if I fired him he’d just eat all my food and camp out on my couch until I hired him back,” Stell laughed.

The answer seemed to satisfy John Paulo. His face turned up and his eyes crinkled slightly in laughter. “I take it you’re friends?”

“Yeah,” Stell chuckled. “So, would you like your drink hot or iced?”

“You’ve really got to stop asking me questions I can’t answer,” John Paulo chortled nervously. 

Stell couldn’t help but light up at that. It was cute how John Paulo didn’t know much about coffee. His lips curved upwards, trying to hold back a laugh.

“Okay, since it’s warm out, I’m going to make the executive decision to make it iced,” he laughed, picking up a plastic cup. “Can I get a name for your drink?” Stell asked, hoping the words came out less shakily than he felt.

John Paulo raised his eyebrows and looked around him. All the other customers had been conveniently called over to Justin's queue, which meant that Stell wouldn’t be able to mix his drink up with anyone else’s. 

Stell almost thought he was going to ignore the question when he saw him look around. The next thing he new John Paulo was grinning and responding. “John Paulo.”

“Ah, that’s a mouthful,” Stell chirped, but he started scribbling on the cup in black ink all the same. Only when John Paulo got the cup back did he notice that Stell had shortened his name and added a little drawing of what he figured was a cat next to it.

“Is that supposed to be me?” he laughed, ignoring the Pau-pau scribbled on his drink.

“Cute, right?” Stell asked happily. He was almost surprised by the confidence in his voice. He wasn’t sure why, but talking to John Paull was easy. Almost natural, if he ignored his furiously beating heart.

“Cute,” John Paulo agreed, eyes flicking between the drawing on his cup and Stell's smiling face. 

There was a brief pause in conversation. Stell was very aware of how good John Paulo looked with a half-smile on his lips and slightly flushed cheeks. He was so close that Stell was tempted to reach out and touch his hair, but he realized how weird that might have been.

They stood like that for a few more seconds before John Paulo pulled back from the counter, breaking the silence. “Anyway I’ve got to go since I’ve got a quiz first thing in the morning tomorrow; perks of being an engineering student,” he laughed. “But it was nice meeting you. Thanks for the coffee, Stell.”

Stell couldn’t help but grin widely at the ‘it was nice meeting you’ bit. His smile only grew when he realized John Paulo had greeted him properly, using his name just like last time. Something about the way he said it made Stell's insides turn to mush.

But it wasn’t nearly enough. He had let John Paulo walk away three times before he had the courage to ask for a name and this time. Stell was going to go big. He was on a roll and he wasn’t sure when this bout of confidence would come back in the face of John Paulo Nase. He figured he might as well throw all his cards on the table while he was at it.

“You’re new, right?” Stell asked suddenly, making John Paulo pause.

“Uh yeah, how’d you know?” John Paulo asked sheepishly, running a hand through his already fluffy hair. The action was cute and almost made Stell forget what he was going to say.

“I’ve been working here for two years now and I’ve never seen you before. Plus, you came in with Ken and he said something about a new student in his class,” Stell explained. Maybe he was stretching the truth a little but what did it matter who Ken had mentioned that to? John Paulo didn’t need to know the details of it.

“Oh, yeah,” he seemed to relax at the explanation. “You know Ken?”

“Hmm, since high school. Rivals turned friends or something like that,” Stell said quickly. “Anyway, you should give me your number. If you’re new then there are probably things you don’t know about the school and the campus. You can ask me, uh I mean, you should ask me since I’m more than happy to answer,” he rushed out.

He couldn’t believe he had said it. He couldn’t believe he had asked for his number. The moment between when Stell asked the question and when John Paulo answered felt too long. 

Stell was afraid he was going to say ‘no,’ – he was certain John Paulo was going to say ‘no’ – but then he opened his mouth and said, “Yeah, sure. That’d be great actually,” and slid his phone out, like there had never been a doubt that that was what he was going to do.

Stell was so surprised by how smoothly that had went. He almost dropped his phone on the ground as his fingers shakily unlocked the device. He took John Paulo's phone and quickly typed in his contact information before handing it back to the man across from him.

“See you around Stell,” John Paulo called to him, before nodding in Ken's direction.

“Bye-bye, Sejun,” Stell called back. John Paulo face was turned to the side, but Stell was certain he saw his lips twitch in an almost-smile at the nickname.

The moment John Paulo had turned out the door however, Stell picked up his phone and gazed happily at the ‘Nase, John Paulo’ followed by his number on his screen. He tapped the name and edited it to ‘Sejun ♥.’

Was he ashamed of getting ahead of himself? Hell, no! Not when he was on cloud 9 at having not only spoken to John Paulo but also having gotten his name, his number and a ‘See you around.’ That was more than enough to satisfy him until they met again.

John Paulo sounded like he was busy, but Stell had his number now and he had a way of contacting him. The thought alone was enough to put a permanent smile on his face for the rest of the night.

When Stell got home after his shift, he deemed he had waited a good amount of time before he pressed the ‘add’ button under John Paulo's name on social media. He was rewarded with a notification a few minutes later informing him that John Paulo had accepted his friend request. That was how he found himself curled up in bed, phone glued to his face, browsing all of John Paulo's pictures now that he had the means.

If Stell was being honest with himself, he knew it was wrong. But he couldn’t help it! Not when he was met with the sight of John Paulo's smiles, exposed in almost every picture. He was also surprised with all the song covers uploaded on his profile. Stell didn’t even care if he was doing it on purpose or not because damn, with a sweet voice like those, he had every right to show them off.

Somehow though, Stell had a feeling it was accidental. Something about the way John Paulo spoke and composed himself just screamed humble, which just made him even hotter in Stell's opinion.

God, Stell wanted nothing more than to run his hands over the John Paulo's arms. He looked strong, and that fact was turning him on. Stell didn’t even know how badly he had a thing for arms until he saw John Paulo's perfect ones. 

He couldn’t help but let himself imagine what it would feel like to have the other man hold him up against a wall with those strong arms of his and fuck him senseless.

And great, he was hard now.

Stell could feel his erection straining against the front of his pants. He knew what he should have done was put his phone away, turn on his side and think of something other than John Paulo Nase.

But knowing what to do and following through with the thought were two completely different things. Instead of doing the right thing, Stell closed his eyes and succumbed to the fantasy playing out in his head. He shifted slightly so that he could pull his pajama bottoms and boxers down low enough on his hips for his cock to spring out.

It was already hard and leaking, a thought that would have embarrassed Stell was it not for the fact that he had left any shame he had at the door.

Speaking of door, his eyes lingered briefly to his beat up one in his bedroom that wasn’t quite open but not quite closed either. Stell begged that his roommate didn’t come home while he was in the middle of this, aware that he wouldn’t be able to hide himself if Josh did.

He ignored the last bit of sense that his brain was holding on to and let his hand slip around himself. He bit back a moan as the image of John Paulo's smiling face came into view and Stell imagined that it was John Paulo holding onto Stell instead of his own hand.

The thought had been a mistake – or maybe not – as it just caused more precum to ooze out of the slit, making his already slippery head even slipperier. Stell felt his hand shake hard as he tried to strengthen the grip on himself. He let his thumb slide across the slit, hissing from the pleasure the action brought with it before slowly sliding his hand up and down.

It had been too long since he had done this and even longer since he had someone else do this.But for now, Stell was content in imagining it was John Paulo's strong hand wrapped around his member instead of his own pale one. He let himself get lost in the thought of what he would say if John Paulo really were here What the other man would say if he were the one jerking Stell off.

And just like that, he was picturing John Paulo towering above him, legs straddled on either side of his hips as he pumped Stell's member with purpose.

“Do you do this often; jerk yourself off to the thought of someone else?” John Paulo asked.

“No, no. Just you, Sejun, I promise,” Stell couldn’t help but whimper back. He was speaking aloud now and he didn’t even care. He wouldn’t be able to hold back the words and the moans anymore even if he tried.

“Do you know how dirty you sound, moaning my name like that? Look at you, all hard and wet; turned on from just a picture,” he whispered in Stell's ear.

Stell let his ear brush against the pillow, almost making it feel like John Paulo was there, even though he knew he wasn’t. But he could imagine that was the case and boy, did he let himself indulge on that thought.

He loosened his grip, pumping his hand all the way down to the base before tightening his hold and jerking back up quickly. The motion had him crying out – he wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to last.

“You look so hot like this Stellvester; face flushed, matching the colour of your member. I wish you could see how good you look,” he praised.

Stell whined aloud at that; it was too much for him to have John Paulo say those words to him. To have such a vivid vision of the man with his hand wrapped around Stell, jerking him off at a bruising pace. It was too much to be able to practically feel the way his words would sound, brushing against his ear. Stell could almost feel his strong arms, almost know what it would be like to touch them, hold on to them, claw at them, all while John Paulo continued to run his tightened fist up and down.

And when Stell imagined what it would feel like to have all of that with the addition of John Paulo's own cock thrusting into him, he could do nothing but come hard against his own hand. Vision going white from pleasure as he continued to ride out his orgasm.

It took him a few moments to compose himself, but when he did, the realization of what he had just done dawned on him and Stell had the decency to flush – even if he didn’t regret it one bit. He clambered out of bed, legs feeling a little too loose but somehow, he managed to make it to the bathroom to clean himself off.

He took in his dishevelled face in the mirror before whining aloud when he realized he was going to have to see John Paulo again. Stell was certain that the only thing he would be thinking of when that time came was what had just happened.

He couldn’t believe he had just jerked off, all while thinking about John Paulo Nase.

He was so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be good to me? First time writing a scene like this. 🤣


	5. Coffee Prince Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning (*≧з≦)

“So I have a name,” Stell beamed happily, pointing to the name on his phone, “a number,” he scrolled down to reveal the digits, “and full access to all of his online photos,” he finished, changing tabs and pulling up John Paulo's profile.

“Huh? so you went above and beyond. Only took you four tries but who’s counting?” Josh laughed. Despite his teasing tone, he looked impressed and pleased for his friend.

“I can’t believe you doubted me,” Stell said smugly, leaning into the couch.

“So how’d you do it?” Josh asked, tucking a cushion under his chin.

“Asked him like a normal person,” Stell responded airily.

“That’s a lie,” JP's voice called out from the kitchen. He had been rummaging through their cabinets and their fridge for about five minutes now. Stell didn’t know what was taking him so long but he didn’t want to leave his comfy spot to find out.

“How would you know that?” Stell snapped.

“Ken,” JP responded easily. “He said that you begged Justin to ask him to befriend John Paulo, which is why he ended up coming in when he knew you were working,” he explained while coming out into the living room with three bowls balanced on his arms.

“What do you mean that’s why he ended up coming in when I was working?” Stell narrowed his eyes.

“Exactly what I just said.” JP frowned, like what he said hadn’t been clear enough. He pushed Stell's legs aside to make room for himself between Stell and Josh. The couch was really only made for two and a half people, and not three grown men. But somehow, that fact had evaded JP; he was determined to make space for himself.

“First thing yesterday morning, Ken introduced himself to John Paulo. He sat next to him in all of their classes and stopped him from going near Coffee Prince during their mid-day break because he knew you were in class.”

Stell wasn’t sure whether to be enraged because his friends were keeping things from him or thrilled that they had his back. He decided he would go for thrilled because in the end, it had worked out in his favou. But that didn’t stop him from pouting and saying “I can’t believe everyone is talking about me behind my back.”

“Quit being an asshole,” Josh hit him upside the head, arm reaching out from around JP. “You got his name, his number and full access to all of his online photos,” he quoted Stell, voice pitched at the end.

“I don’t even sound like that,” Stell bit back, rubbing his head because Josh didn’t know the strength of his own arms. “And that hurt, you midget,” he glowered.

“Sorry,” he apologized. Stell stuck his tongue out but dropped the subject otherwise.

He peered into the bowls that JP had placed on the coffee table and picked through the snack mix for the pretzels.

“Who’s performing?” JP asked, picking up the remote.

“Some solo performer and next is a dance group,” Josh answered.

“And who are we rooting for?” JP continued.

“No one, duh,” Stell responded easily.

“Aren’t the first performer the reigning champions of this dance contest though? And this one performing in last place?” JP frowned.

“What’s your point? Have you seen their other lives? Besides, no one likes a powerhouse team. They take on too many talents now. How are any of the aspiring artista supposed to get a chance if they do that? It’s unfair if you ask me,” Stell glared.

“Ah, such a good patriot,” Josh laughed. “But I feel like the powerhouse team bit speaks more volumes,” he teased.

Stell shot him a dirty look, which had Josh putting his hands up in defense. But he didn’t say anything else, which Stell was grateful for. The last thing he wanted to do was think about high school and dance, which was sort of inevitable when he was watching a contest, but he didn’t need to be reminded of it so blatantly.

As much as performing brought Stell a kind of joy he wasn’t sure anything else would bring.. It also brought with it a lot of sad memories. He had a good career, but it could have been better. It was cut short and while he still dance recreationally. It wasn’t the same as standing against a team on a stage with the eyes of hundreds of spectators all focused on him. Stell couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret every time he saw the stage on television. He longed to be on the other end of the screen more times than he could remember.

It was a thought that ended up pulling him to a dark place most of the time but he couldn’t tear himself away from the genre. It had been a part of his life for too long for him to give up on it just like that.

It could have been harmful to him to continue pining over a hobby when it was his past and not his future but he had learned how to enjoy the performance without being a part of it.

Sometimes though, he got into those moods that were troublesome and could potentially lead him back to his first days after his injury. Which was why he usually watched contests in Josh and JP's company. They knew what it was like to love dance as much as Stell did. And they knew how to stop his pitiful thoughts from taking over his mind.

Josh could have gone pro, but he decided against it in order to pursue a degree in academia. JP on the other hand had accepted a talent workshop and was currently on the dance team at university. 

Stell would be lying if he said he wasn’t jealous of his friend, but he was also incredibly proud and nothing could replace that kind of emotion.

He was lucky though that he had formed a friendship with JP. The other man was sometimes dense but he knew how to read Stell like the back of his hand. Once he had learned about Stell's past with dancing, he took to asking Stell to choreograph for him. Even going as far as inviting him to practice whenever he had the chance.

“Goddamn, this is the reason everyone shits on local talents, you idiot!” Josh shouted at the television, breaking Stell out of his reminiscent thoughts.

“What happened?” Stell asked. He realized his eyes had glossed over and he couldn’t remember a thing about the past ten minutes of the contest.

“Weren’t you paying attention?” Josh narrowed his eyes knowingly. Stell flicked his hand flippantly, as if to say that he was over it and Josh didn’t have anything to worry about. Josh's eyes softened at the gesture and he continued. “Fucking number seven just let through an easy move,” he jerked his thumb.

Stell bit back a laugh. Josh did always get overly worked up about any blockings and dance move he thought he could make. It was easier to make judgement calls when you had a birds eye view of the stage. However Stell didn’t think him pointing it out was going to do anything except earn him a pillow to the face. Besides, he could sympathize. It did make him angry to see an easy dance fall through, especially when it was from a dance troupe he was rooting for.

“Which one is he?” Stell asked instead.

“That lanky bastard from Team A.”

“Hah! I told you the other group were better,” Stell said smugly.

“Careful, or people might think you’re an elitist,” JP laughed. 

Josh didn’t bother replying, but he did tighten his grip on the pillow he had clutched to his chest. 

Stell took that as confirmation and stuck his tongue out at JP childishly before bringing his attention back to the contest in front of him.

Familiar, Stell couldn’t help but think.

It was familiar and comforting to have his friends around him. He may not have had the thrill of a real dance contest anymore. But he could still very much enjoy a performance from where he was if it meant doing it with his friends.

Stell whined once JP had left. The contest had been good and the team he rooted had performed well, but not well enough. They still ended up losing and Stell was feeling a little bitter about the loss.

“We’ll get them next time,” Josh sighed, locking the door. It was reassuring to see he was just as putout as Stell was.

Stell hated it when he lost and the team he was rooting for counted as his loss. So sue him for being a sore loser: everyone was when it came to sports, and nothing anyone else said would convince him otherwise.

He wondered if John Paulo is into performing, which only made him blush when he remembered just what he had done the night before. He needed to get over the embarrassment otherwise he would never be able to look him in the eyes again, which was completely unacceptable.

Josh seemed to have read his mind, or noticed his blush because he raised his eyebrows disapprovingly. “Why are you blushing?”

“I’m not blushing,” Stell denied, turning away from the man and busying himself with washing up in the kitchen.

“Right,” Josh drawled. He followed Stell into the kitchen, peering over his hidden face – damn him and his height disadvantage. “You’re definitely blushing,” he pointed out, arms crossed. “Come on, tell me what you did,” he prodded.

“It’s embarrassing,” Stell whined.

“So it’s about John Paulo, huh?” he asked knowingly. Stell pouted at the question. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he laughed.

“Promise not to judge me,” Stell asked hesitantly. He couldn’t believe he was even thinking about telling Josh. But he supposed that owning up to it would help him get over it. And he needed to get over it. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at John Paulo's photos again, which he really wanted to do without getting all worked up and throwing his phone across the room.

Stell couldn’t imagine what it would feel like actually seeing the man in person again. Or get a text from him. Neither of those things had happened, and under different circumstances, Stell would have felt putout by the fact but currently, he felt a bit of relief that John Paulo had kept his distance – even if it had only been a day.

“Alright, I promise,” Josh agreed. “Come on, spill your worries. The great Josh is listening,” he beckoned.

Stell twisted his face down nervously, hands wringing against one another. “I may or may not have jerked off to the thought of him last night?” Stell blurted out quickly.

“Whoa, back the fuck up,” Josh gaped.

“I told you not to judge me!”

“I’m not judging. I’m just surprised is all,” Josh defended. Stell stomped his foot against the tiles childishly. But he did feel a little better at having gotten that off his chest. “So I guess you really like him,” Josh mused, trying to maintain a serious face, but the glint in his eyes gave away what he was really thinking.

“Yeah, I do,” Stell agreed wholeheartedly. There was no point in denying it after what he’d done last night anyway. “He’s really nice and I know I haven’t really spoken to him but yesterday when he came into the store, he was so charming and funny, and just easy to talk to, you know?” Stell asked.

“Hmm,” Josh replied.

“And he’s smart! I mean, I thought Ken was the only hot engineer. But John Paulo definitely gives him a run for his money. Don’t tell Justin I said that. But he’s really hot, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so good looking before.”

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Josh laughed, but didn’t interrupt otherwise.

“You know, he let me call him Sejun. I swear he even smiled when I said that. I thought it would put him off but he looked sort of amused and happy. I don’t know why but that just made me feel like a high schooler again with their first crush. Ugh, I’m so pathetic, I can’t believe I’m pining,” Stell complained.

“So then text him. You have his number, don’t you? What are you doing moping to me for when you’ve got that kind of ammo?” Josh asked.

“I…” Stell frowned, thinking over his words. “I want to, but I keep thinking about how much I like him every time and I kind of freeze up. Then I remember what happened the last time I had my phone and was thinking about him,” he blushed furiously.

Josh let out a chuckle at that, much to Stell's chagrin.

“Hey, not judging, remember?” he reminded. He moved to dry the plates that Stell had just washed. Eager to move the items out of Stell's hand so he couldn’t accidentally chuck them at him in anger.

“You think I should text him?” Stell asked seriously.

“I’m not going to give you shitty advice when it comes to stuff like this,” Josh scolded him. “Yes, I think you should text him,” he repeated more forcefully.

“What if he’s not into guys? I don’t think I could live with being only his friend. He’s too hot and I’m too smitten to let that happen,” Stell pointed out.

Josh gave him an unamused look in response, choosing to ignore Stell's use of the word ‘smitten.’ “When have you let something like that ever stop you before? Remember that guy from the dorms in first year that you thought was cute and everyone told you he was straight? You still went and asked him out anyway? We had solid proof he wasn’t into guys and you didn’t give a shit,” Josh reminded.

“Why do you always have to bring up my failures?” Stell sulked. “And besides, I was drunk when I asked him out. At least he was nice about it,” he mused.

“And John Paulo is nice too,” Josh reminded. “Hey, I’m just repeating what you told me,” he added when Stell pouted at the proclamation.

“That’s not comforting. I don’t want Sejun to be nice. I want him to like me,” Stell complained, nose wrinkling in frustration.

“Well you won’t know if you don’t try. Don’t be a wuss about it now. Go text him,” Josh urged, pushing Stell out of the kitchen.

“Now?”

“Yes, now. Go before I take your phone while you’re sleeping and do it for you,” Josh threatened.

Stell paused before turning towards the couch to pick up his phone. “You know, I don’t know whether I should be grateful for a friend like you. Or distressed for the very same reason,” he remarked.

“Yeah, yeah, I love you too, you asshole,” Josh laughed.

Stell hid his smile, as he tucked his phone into his hands before heading towards his room. He swallowed the lump in his throat, breathing through his nose loudly a few times before pulling up John Paulo's contact information and typing in a message. He didn’t give himself the chance to scrutinize the message, pressing send before he could stop himself.

Stell:  
How’d your quiz this morning go ?? (´・ω・｀)

The moment he pressed the send button however, he felt his heart speed up as his eyes scanned over the message. It was too late to take it back now but that didn’t stop Stell from pissing himself wondering whether the two question marks was too much or if he should have even sent the smiley.

He tossed his phone aside and picked up his laptop, looking over the guidelines on the essay he was supposed to be writing since it was due the next day. He couldn’t focus though because his eyes kept moving towards his phone that was sitting on his bed, screen facing up so that Stell could see it flash when he got a new message.

It had only been five minutes but Stell had checked his phone at least a dozen times already. He moved his laptop aside, picked the phone up to double check that he hadn’t missed the message – he hadn’t – before deciding to turn the ringer on as well.

God, how long was he going to have to wait? The thought hadn’t even left his mind when he heard a ding and a small vibration indicating he had a new message. Stell felt his mouth go dry as he picked up his phone with shaky hands.

Sejun ♥:  
I thought I was the one supposed to be asking the questions? lol

Stell felt sweat seep into his palms when he read the words. Had he said the wrong thing then? He wasn’t given much of a chance to dwell on the thought however, when his phone buzzed in his hands again.

Sejun ♥:  
To answer your question though, it went fine. Well, actually, I think

Stell's heart soared at the sight of the second message. That was ok, no that was good. It was something he could respond to at least and he was grateful that John Paulo hadn’t cut him off. He was even more grateful that the man was even talking to him.

Stell:  
v v smart I see Sejun !

He was just thinking of what else he could send so that it didn’t sound like he was cutting the conversation off, because that was the very last thing he wanted to do. When his phone buzzed again. He couldn’t believe John Paulo was texting him without being prompted. It made Stell feel giddy, but not as much as reading the next text did.

Sejun ♥:  
You weren’t lying about your good memory.

Was that a compliment? Stell couldn’t help himself. He didn’t even bother to put his laptop back on his desk before he flopped against the bed. Phone clutched in his fingers, rolling on the mattress in delight. He did a mental cheer before composing himself and sitting up against the headboard. All the nervousness that he had been feeling earlier was suddenly gone as he was reminded how easy it really was to talk to John Paulo.

Despite the fact that Stell felt like his face was on fire, he had no problem being himself around the other man, even when they were only talking through text.

Stell:  
I’d say yours is good too considering you remembered that (*^▽^*)

Sejun ♥:  
lol thanks. Not working today?

Stell:  
nah I had the day off. But how’d you know ? I could have just been a bad employee and texting from work.

Sejun ♥:  
I was just at the store a few minutes ago and I didn’t see you

Sejun ♥:  
Besides, you don’t seem like a bad employee.

That was two compliments he had gotten from John Paulo now. Stell wasn’t sure whether to believe his luck or not. But who was he to question it? He also couldn’t help but wonder if John Paulo had gone to the store to see him. The way he had brought it up could have just been a way to keep the conversation going, but a small part of him hoped that John Paulo had said those words with a bit of disappointment.

Stell:  
if I didn’t know any better I’d say that you were buttering me up for more free coffee hehe

Sejun ♥:  
Did it work?

Sejun ♥:  
(That was a joke btw)

Stell laughed at the message in brackets. He knew it was a joke but it made him smile to see John Paulo tell him as much.

Sejun ♥:  
Ok but I actually do have a question for you now that I think about it. What’s this School Festival that’s happening Saturday? Is that supposed to be an event or…?

Stell:  
oh kind of ! But the school likes to mix in the clubs festival along with it. There's supposed to be booths for entertainment and a stage for local bands. It's a full day event and mostly families and first-years go. It's a bit of an orientation thing but it can be fun !

Stell:  
do you wanna go ??

Sejun ♥:  
Uhm, I don’t know. That doesn’t sound like something that would be fun to go to alone

Stell:  
silly Sejun I was asking if you wanna go w/ me~

Sejun ♥:  
Are you sure? I don’t want to take you away from your plans

Stell:  
no plans ! and btw I asked you remember ?

Stell:  
so are we going ??

Sejun ♥:  
Yeah, it sounds like fun

Stell:  
yaaaay I’m so excited~ o((*^▽^*))o

Sejun ♥:  
Yeah, me too

Sejun ♥:  
I have to get back to my calculus assignment though. Do you work tomorrow? I can come by if you are and we can talk details then. It’ll be easier in person than over text

Stell:  
yep !! I’m working 4 – 7 tomorrow does that work ?

Sejun ♥:  
Yeah, it does. I’ll see you then

Stell:  
see you tmrw Sejun. goodnight and good luck !! don’t study too hard (。^_・)ノ

Sejun ♥:  
I’ll try not to. Night, Stell :)

Stell couldn’t help but beam at the last message. He had said ‘night’ and even attached a smiley face to it. It was nothing like Stell's unnecessarily detailed emojis but it made his heart flutter all the same. And he had plans! Not only was he going to see John Paulo tomorrow so that they could work out their plans for the next day, but he would be spending what was hopefully the entirety of Saturday with him as well.

Stell couldn’t believe his luck. He couldn’t believe he had managed to not chicken out. The question about wanting to go to the festival was typed out and sent before he could even think about what he was doing. He wasn’t even given a moment to panic about it as he got the reply he desired within seconds. He leaned back down against his bed and pulled the pillow over his face, squealing loudly underneath it.

He was so happy that nothing could ruin his good mood. Not the looming deadline for his essay that was due tomorrow by noon and certainly not Josh's face popping into his room to yell at him to ‘quit squealing like a dying cat!’

Nope, he was feeling absolutely ecstatic and nothing could bring him down from that high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly wanted to do those fake tweets and chats that everyone were doing in twttr but I don't save enough memes and not into long chats. I'm envious haha


	6. Coffee Prince Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good evening! I want to go to this Coffee Prince cafe!  
> where could I see Justin, Josh and Stell upclose 😂
> 
> for those interested, this is where I saw Stell's barista outfit https://youtu.be/enAwf64CzZo

John Paulo came over to Coffee Prince just like he promised he would the next day. Much to Stell's delight and his friends’ shock. JP almost dropped the order he was working on when he noticed John Paulo walk into the store and head directly for Stell. 

Justin actually let out a squeal, which he covered up with a cough. It caught John Paulo's attention briefly but he didn’t say anything if he acknowledged it as odd. Instead, he turned towards Stell and waved shyly.

Stell was so pleased at seeing the other man again that he didn’t even care that his friends were embarrassing him.

“Sejun, hi,” Stell called, moving from behind the counter to greet him properly.

“Hey Stell,” he smiled back. It wasn’t his full-fledged grin that had the dimples, but it was cute and made Stell's heart speed up all the same. “When’s your break? Sorry, I should have texted you and asked that before I came,” he apologized.

Stel shook his head quickly. “No, no, I can take my break now,” he looked down the length of the store to see Justin nod and move towards his place. 

Stell smiled again before gesturing towards an empty table for them to sit at. It was conveniently located as far away from his nosy friends as possible.

There was a slight bounce in his step, and a smug expression on his face when he turned around and noticed JP's gaping face. John Paulo was too busy walking towards the table to have noticed, thankfully. 

Stell figured he was going to get chewed out for not telling his friends about it sooner. By the time he had finished his essay last night, it was nearing 3 am and he didn’t think anyone would be up then. He was going to tell them when he saw them today but he… forgot.

That was a lie – he hadn’t forgotten at all. He really wanted to tell them but there was a small part of him that doubted any of the conversation between him and John Paulo had been real. Even though when Stell checked his phone before going to bed early that morning, then when he woke up and again during every lecture of the day, the texts were right there in front of him. It still didn’t stop the doubt from seeping in and making him question whether John Paulo would actually show up.

It was only the fear of getting ditched that prevented Stell from saying anything to anyone. Even Josh who he had promptly ignored that morning by sleeping in.

But he had nothing to worry about. John Paulo was here, just like he had promised. Stell hadn’t realized the weight that had been sitting on his shoulders until he suddenly felt lighter than he had in a long time.

“Do you want anything to drink? Or eat?” Stell asked, gesturing towards the front.

“Nah, that’s okay, I have to get back to campus again soon. I have a tutorial at six but I wanted to come by and see you before since it won’t end until seven. I didn’t want to make you wait for me when your shift ended,” John Paulo explained.

Stell felt his heart threaten to leap out of his chest.  
‘I wanted to come by and see you.’ He knew the words hadn’t been meant the same way as if he had been the one to say them to John Paulo. But Stell could hope for it all the same. It didn’t stop his mind from repeating the words over and over again either.

“You have class so late, and on a Friday too!” Stell gaped, realizing that John Paulo had said that he had a tutorial at six. That sounded way too unfair, and Stell couldn’t help but feel offended for the other man.

“Yeah, it kind of sucks,” he admitted, chuckling lightly. “But I’m used to the crazy schedules by now; third year and all,” he waved off. “Plus, I don’t really have many classes in the morning on Fridays so I use that time to finish any assignments I have so that my weekends are less busy,” he explained.

“You spent all your free time working on assignments?” Stell asked a little surprised. He wasn’t sure whether to be impressed by John Paulo's work ethic or a little incredulous that someone could spend so much time doing schoolwork. Either way, it did nothing but make John Paulo more extraordinary in Stell's eyes.

“Er, yeah,” John Paulo admitted sheepishly. He rubbed the back of his neck slowly, and Stell caught a hint of pink dusting his cheeks. Cute!! he couldn’t help but think.

Stell stifled the chuckle that came with the thought and said, “You must be really looking forward to tomorrow then,” before he could stop himself.

Stell wasn’t given the chance to regret the words because he was met with a very serious, “I am,” which put an end to any panicky thoughts that could fester. Still, his heart raced faster and he stuttered slightly before he could compose himself.

“Me too,” Stell agreed with a small smile, which was returned wholeheartedly by John Paulo. “So, tomorrow. The festival starts at 9 am but the main event viewing isn’t until about noon. That’s when they open up the picnic area to everyone, but a line usually forms before then. And oh! the food stalls will open at around 11 am so we can grab food before or after. I’m assuming you want to see the show at least,” Stell paused. When John Paulo nodded, he grinned brightly and continued.

“Great! The clubs usually start setting up their own booths between 1 pm and 2 pm. That's when the outside vendors will start to set up. I’m not a big fan of any of the bands that are usually playing but apparently this year we’ve got a good school one, if you want to see that, although they won’t be performing till about 8 pm. I haven’t been to the school festival since first year, so my guesses might be a little off,” Stell admitted.

“That’s fine. How about we aim to get there for noon? We can watch the program for a bit then grab lunch and look around? I don’t mind staying for the band. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a concert, even a local one anyway,” John Paulo smiled.

Stell couldn’t believe he had a solid eight hours to spend in John Paulo's company. And the other man was going along with it so smoothly.

He nodded his approval. “Hmm, sounds like a plan.”

“Do you want to meet at the university gates, or..?” John Paulo asked, making Stell's fingers sweat at the thought.

“Where do you live?” Stell asked, hoping it didn’t sound as forward as it felt coming out of his mouth.

“About two blocks south of here. In that apartment complex near the large park,” John Paulo answered easily, much to Stell's joy.

“Oh, I live that way too! But I’m in the complex closer to the store. Since we’ll be taking the same route, do you want to come by my apartment? We can walk to the school together from there? It’ll be easier than trying to find each other in a crowd,” Stell asked. 

He hoped John Paulo wasn’t put off by the question. They had only met properly two days ago and had only texted each other once since then.

But you already jerked off to him so I’d say you’re close enough to ask him that? Stell scolded himself. He felt a sudden rush of heat take over his entire body at the thought. Dammit! he was hoping he wouldn’t remember that but his brain had other plans. He could feel the redness on his face and could actually see it starting to extend down his pale fingers.

“Yeah, that works!” John Paulo agreed. “Hey, are you okay?” he frowned, gesturing towards Stell's face vaguely.

“Uh-huh,” Stell nodded furiously. “I’m fine. Probably just a mild allergic reaction to something,” he lied. 

John Paulo raised his thick eyebrows worriedly but didn’t question it. “You should probably take something for that before it gets worse,” he instructed.

“Don’t worry about me, Sejun.” He smiled and prayed that John Paulo would drop the subject. Thankfully he did, putting Stell's mind at ease.

“Text me your address. I’ll meet you tomorrow.” he said after a brief moment. He pushed his chair back, stood up, and waited for Stemm to do the same. Stell hastily mirrored the action, unsure what to do other than to agree and wave goodbye.

“I will,” he promised, watching John Paulo's sweet smile before exiting the store.

The moment he was gone, Stwll slumped back down into the chair and buried his head in his hands. He groaned aloud, making some of the patrons around him stare but he didn’t care about the attention. They could stare all they wanted because nothing could stop Stell from wallowing in embarrassment.

He thought he had gotten over the whole jerking off to John Paulo when he wasn’t even there. He hadn’t thought about it at all either while texting him last night. But apparently talking to him in person was enough to remind Stell just why he had done it in the first place. He firmly shook the thought from his mind though, because the last thing he needed was to get hard at work. He wouldn’t be able to hide it and he certainly didn’t want to take care of it in the store.

He may not have had many standards but he did still have some decency.

Seeing John Paulo again had only confirmed one thing. He was really hot and Stell was really in over his head. It was easy enough to talk to him in the moment. But every time Stell saw him it was getting harder and harder to stop himself from blurting out something embarrassing.

Stell didn’t want to be just friends with John Paulo but he didn’t want to scare the man off either. Just last Saturday, he had been worried that John Paulo was never going to come into the store again thanks to JP's accident. A week later, Stell had plans with him to hang out.

Or maybe it was a date.

He really wished for it to be one and it did sort of sound like a date. Plus they hadn’t said anything about inviting anyone else. Stell knew for a fact that John Paulo was now friends with Ken so he could have done that if he wanted to.

So it was a date… right?

Or was it?

The thought made Stell shove his head further into his hands as he collapsed against the table and groaned loudly once more. He pulled at his hair slightly, making the soft tufts stick up at the end, giving him a somewhat maniacal look.

“I’m not exactly sure what’s happening here, but wasn’t that John Paulo? He was here to talk to you?” JP asked, poking Stell's arm lightly.

“Yes,” Stell answered sullenly, lifting his head up to meet JP's golden eyes.

“Alright, so then why are you acting like this?” he gestured to Stell's upper half lying across the table. “I thought that went well. He was smiling when he left,” JP continued sounding far too confused.

Stell couldn’t blame him. It had looked good but the nervous thoughts that had taken over his brain were preventing him from feeling anything but self-conscious about it all.

“Because we have plans tomorrow,” Stell responded dully. He pushed his head back into the space between his arms and rubbed his head against his forearms, trying to get his brain to think of something else other than what he was supposed to do when tomorrow came.

“So you have a date? How’s that a bad thing?” JP continued.

“That’s the thing,” Stell responded. “I’m not sure if it’s a date. I mean, I did just sort of ask him out of the blue if he wanted to go to the school festival. But he was the one who brought it up. Except you know the first time I asked if he wanted to go, he just thought I was asking in general. Not to go together so I doubt he thinks it’s a date.” He couldn’t stop the rush of words from tumbling out of his mouth, once he had started, much to JP's further confusion

“Whoa, whoa, slow down!” JP waved his hands, motioning for Stell to stop talking. “I’m not quite sure I follow what you’re on about.”

“Here,” Stell shoved his phone into JP's hands. “Just read this and tell me you understand where I’m coming from,” he whined, watching JP.

The barista took the device and scrolled through the texts, eyes going wide and laughing a couple of times. Stell wasn’t sure whether JP was laughing at Stell or whether it was because he was pleased with the outcome. Either way, he didn’t care. He just wanted JP to finish the texts so he could listen to Stell complain in peace.

“Dude, that’s awesome!” JP clapped his back.

That wasn’t the reaction Stell was going for.

“What do you mean that’s awesome? That’s terrible! I don’t know what this even means,” he said loudly, throwing his hands up in the air. The two girls sitting at the table next to him gave him an appraising look, which Stell returned with a dirty glare. He was being a bad employee, but he was dealing with a crisis, dammit.

“Quit overthinking it,” JP flicked his ear, handing the phone back to Stell. “He seems nice and willing to hang out with you.”

“I don’t want him to hang out with me. I want him to date me,” Stell whined.

“Baby steps, Stell, baby steps,” JP reminded. “Now stop moping and get back to work. My shift is over and I have to get to dance practice. You should come by later if you have the time,” he added, watching Stell's face shift thoughtfully.

“Hmm, maybe,” he shrugged, even though he already knew the answer. He wanted to go watch the practice and maybe dance a little too. But Stell was too preoccupied with figuring out whether tomorrow is counted as a date or not.

The distraction of dancing would be welcome, but he apparently hated himself. Because while Stell knew that he would be much happier visiting JP at practice after his shift, he wasn’t going to. Instead he was probably going to hole himself up in his room and scrutinize the texts from John Paulo while he drove himself crazy wondering about their plans tomorrow, date or not.

JP seemed to know what Stell's vague answer meant, as he shot his friend a disapproving look. “Seriously, come by. Coach won’t be here tonight so you won’t even have to deal with him,” JP reasoned.

The thought was promising but Stell shook his head. He smiled reassuringly though so that JP wouldn’t worry about him. “I’ll be fine. Go get to practice before you’re late and coach scold you for it again,” Stell reprimanded.

“Later, Stell~ Don’t get lost in your thoughts again,” he reminded before taking off.

Stell waited at the table for a few more minutes, contemplating whether he wanted to just go home or not.

JP was right, he should have been looking at the bright side of things. Besides, everyone started off as friends. It was easier to actually maintain a positive relationship when you did. Stell didn’t want to take baby steps as JP had put it. But he was willing to try, if only because there wasn’t anything else he could do about the situation.

“You alright?” Justin asked, once he made it back to his place behind the counter.

“I am,” Stell smiled. He found that he did mean the words, despite having been near a panic attack only moments earlier.

“Good. I’m not going to ask what that was about unless you want to tell me,” he gestured to where Stell had been sitting earlier.

Stell frowned, chewing on his bottom lip. “I’ll tell you tomorrow,” he promised. He wanted to tell Justin right then. But he also didn’t want to give himself any more reason for self-doubt. Stell was lucky that his friends were so understanding. He was met by a smile and a reassuring pat on the back in response.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Justin laughed before making his way back to the cash register to ring up the new orders.

He was kept busy with all the people who entered the store to really let himself divulge into his own thoughts again, which was a good thing. About 15 minutes after JP left, Justin did too and Stell was left alone with only Yuuki. He was still in training, which meant Stell was doing most of the work, which he didn’t mind. It kept him busy and well occupied.

When his shift ended, he stuck around a little longer than usual to make sure that Yuuki was comfortable with the other barista who had come in to replace Stell before getting ready to head out for the day. He was at the door when it swung open quickly, and Stell was forced to step back to avoid running into whoever had rushed in.

“Oh shit,” came the curse from none other than John Paulo. When he looked up to see that it was Stell at the door however, he grinned toothily and Stell couldn’t help but grin back, just looking at him smile so widely at him.

“Sejuni~” Stell said teasingly, earning him a fantastic blush from the man.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized. “But hey, I’m glad you’re still here.”

“Did you forget something?” Stell frowned, eyes returning to the table they had been sitting at when he first came in about an hour and half ago.

“Nah, that’s not it,” he waved off, bringing Stell's attention back towards him. In this light, his eyes looked more brown, but so captivating all the same. “Uh listen, I was just thinking about it and I thought it might be easier for you to just show me where you live instead of texting me the address,” he answered.

“You want to walk home together?” Stell asked carefully.

“Only if you want to,” John Paulo answered, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“Yes, of course!” Stell answered quickly before John Paulo could change his mind. He wasn’t sure where this bout of luck had come from but he wasn’t going to lose this kind of opportunity. He looked at John Paulo's face, which seemed more flushed than when he had come in. The thought that he might have run there to catch Stell on time made his heart soar alone. And Stell couldn’t help but let a wide smile take over his face.

“Okay, cool,” John Paulo agreed, running his hand through his hair.

“Yeah,” Stell smiled, at a loss for what else to say.

“Are you ready to go?” John Paulo asked, breaking Stell out of his momentary daze.

“Oh, yes I am. Sorry about that,” he apologized, feeling his face heat up once more.

John Paulo waved off his apology as nothing before opening the door and holding it open for Stell who was behind him. It was a kind gesture, one that was polite and people did out of habit but it still put a slight bounce in Stell's step, as he walked off the premise and they started their walk home.

“You do live this way, right?” John Paulo asked a few seconds after they had gotten onto the sidewalk.

“I know which way south is, Sejun,” Stell laughed, referring to their earlier conversation. He was met with a sheepish look from John Paulo, which only made him laugh harder, much to the other man’s dismay. 

Stell turned his face slightly and hid his smile in his hand. He couldn’t understand why, but the smallest things had Stell teetering on the edge between happy and utterly euphoric around John Paulo.

“How are your allergies? Did you take something for them?” he cleared his throat, gesturing towards Stell's face and neck.

“Oh, no I didn’t but they went away pretty quickly!” Stell flushed at the question. He was saved the trouble of letting his mind go back to the reason for his incredibly red face.

“I’m glad. I’d have been disappointed if we had to cancel our plans because of it,” he admitted. The way he said it was so casual, but the words squeezed around Stell's heart all the same.

“Me too,” he answered truthfully.

They fell into easy conversation after that. Talking to John Paulo felt so familiar that if Stell wasn’t so brutally aware of the fact that he didn’t really know the man, he would be tempted to think that he had actually known him his entire life.

The walk from the store to Stell's apartment was only ten minutes. But even when they reached his front door, John Paulo had taken the initiative to walk Stell to without being prompted, and they didn’t stop talking. They continued like that, telling each other about their day, about small things that happened that most people would have no interest in knowing. Yet they couldn’t stop each other from sharing anyway.

It was only when Stell's neighbour opened his door to yell at them to stop talking so loudly right in front of it did John Paulo look down at his watch and realize that he should probably get home.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Stell,” he waved, heading back down the stairs from the second floor. Stell leaned over the bannister and watched him go, waving enthusiastically when John Paulo turned around and looked up to wave again once he had reached the bottom.

Once he was gone, Stell opened the door to his apartment with shaky hands. Nothing to stop himself from sliding down against the closed door once he was inside, tilting his head back against the wood, feeling lightheaded.

Stell couldn’t help but think that maybe tomorrow really was a date.

It was a thought that put a broad smile on his face – one that didn’t go away even as Stell tucked himself into his covers and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> random story! I feel happy whenever I talked to fellow A'TIN regarding my writing attempts. I appreciate the dms, mentions and comments! Especially today~
> 
> I was surprised when one noticed the frequent heavy rains in Faded Memories. The other one shared she was saved by reading works just as this writings also distracted me from stuffs. And I was shocked one of my favorite writers knew I made fanfics here?? Just how? I'm hoping she'll like FM and this CP 😊


	7. Coffee Prince Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Stelljun *friends*~
> 
> If in case you didn't noticed there are PHP names here on this multichap too. I'm having fun watching their vlogs too just like our beloved SB19 ^_^

Stell had been a little worried that planning to spend eight full hours and maybe more with John Paulo was a mistake. They had only really known each other for three days now, and while their previous conversations hadn’t been awkward they had also been short when compared to eight hours.

He thought they might run out of things to say or things to do because really, how could someone spend so much time at a festival without taking a break to just sit and relax? There was the distraction of various booths and food stalls and the silence that watching the concert brought. But besides that, they would have to speak to one another and eight hours was a long time.

Stell had been worried that John Paulo would decide that Stell was boring after a while and make up some excuse to go home early. But despite all of Stell's worries, that hadn’t happened.

Instead, John Paulo filled in the gaps in conversation when Stell paused to think about what to say next. He never left Stell hanging and even told him a bit about himself.

Stell learned that John Paulo had wanted to be a mechanical engineer for as long as he could remember. He learned that his dream was to design cars and that his father had taught him everything there was to know about them. He told Stell how he didn’t really like sweets and was immune to the cold weather. 

Stell learned that John Paulo's favourite food was hotdogs, how he loved the smell of lavander and how he liked to go to the karaoke at least twice a week despite his busy schedule, and so much more that Stell wasn’t sure he could store all that information in his brain in just one day alone.

John Paulo told him small things that might have been meaningless to anyone else but Stell soaked up all the new information like it was oxygen.

And when Stell told him about himself, he listened just as intently as Stell had when their roles had been reversed.

John Paulo was nice, he was funny, he was smart and Stell learned that yes, he was very good looking. His immunity to the cold was a great asset because Stell found himself getting lost in his toned arms that were peaking from beneath his t-shirt more times than he would like to admit. He had his jacket folded over his arms most of the day, giving Stell great access to his slightly flexed muscles at all times.

Everything about John Paulo screamed perfect, and the longer they spoke to one another, the more convinced Stell was that his crush was a full-fledged like now.

He couldn’t help but light up at everything John Paulo did and blush at any small compliment he received from the other man.

During the opening program viewing when John Paulo had his jaw open slightly in admiration, Stell had been tempted to take a picture because he looked so good. And so he had taken his phone out without thought and did just that, only to be met with an amused look from John Paulo.

“Did you just take a picture of me?” he had asked.

“Uh yeah, do you want me to delete it?” Stell had admitted worriedly.

“No, no that’s fine,” he had smiled. And he left it at that, not even questioning it when Stell took out his phone to snap pictures of them together at every other activity from then on.

During lunch, he had leaned over the table to peer at Stell's bowl he had been picking at only to ask, “You don’t like mushrooms?”

“Hmm, not really,” Stell had answered sheepishly. But John Paulo didn’t seem to care. He had laughed and reached into his bowl to take whatever mushrooms Stell had tossed aside and place them into his own dish.

The gesture had taken Stell by surprise, but it put an irreplaceable smile on his face for the rest of their meal.

John Paulo let Stell drag him to every booth possible, playing along when Stell asked him to try on the goofiest looking masks they could find, just so he could take a picture of them. He didn’t even complain when Stell posted the picture to social media, tagging him in it. In fact, he actually took out his phone to like the photo, which put another wide smile on Stell's face.

Everything about how they had spent the day, how they had acted around one another screamed date. Stell was inclined to believe that it really was one. Especially when the afternoon sky turned from skybursts oranges and yellows into the calm of purple night glow and Stell suddenly started to walk closer to John Paulo, the back of his hand brushing against the other’s every so often, if only so that he could steal some of his body heat.

John Paulo looked down between them but didn’t pull away. He didn’t pull Stell's hand between his either, which was the only thing that stopped Stell from doing it himself.

“So I’m curious about something,” John Paulo asked suddenly, bringing Stell's attention from the brightly lit lanterns around him to the man walking at his side.

“Hmm?” he prompted.

“You said something about rivals to friends when you mentioned Ken, right? What’s that all about?” he asked.

Stell paused, smiling wryly. “You didn’t ask Ken?”

“I, uh… I wanted to ask you,” John Paulo shrugged. He suddenly looked embarrassed and Stell felt bad at the question, but the other man’s answer had his heart fluttering in a way he didn’t think was possible.

The entire day his heart had been threatening to beat out of his chest. It was as if John Paulo was aware of this fact and wanted nothing more than to actually see that happen. If Stell didn’t know any better, he would have thought that John Paulo was doing it on purpose.

He paused at the question though, wondering how best to answer it. There were so many ways he could go about it, many of which he didn’t want to divulge to John Paulo.

Not yet, anyway.

Stell was very aware of John Paulo's gaze on him. He almost backed down from the intensity of it but then Stell realized it was warm, inviting, almost pleading. He decided that there was no reason to tell him anything but the truth.

“I’ve known Ken since high school. Our teams compete one another a couple times, and we both had the same end goal in mind but were stumped by a powerhouse team. Except that his team managed to overcome that goal while mine didn’t,” Stell admitted. It was a sore spot, but he had long since gotten over it. He didn’t harbour any ill feelings for Ken about it, in any case.

“Oh,” John Paulo answered unsurely. “What contest?” he asked before Stell could think to change the subject.

“Dance.”

“Oh,” John Paulo said suddenly. His tone of voice made Stell observe him curiously.

“Why’d you say it like that?” he asked hesitantly, face twisted down slightly.

“I danced for a while too – back in high school that is. My group wasn’t the best but it was fun and I enjoyed it,” he explained. “I was just surprised we had that in common, that’s all,” he explained, chuckling shyly.

“Really? What genre?” Stell asked, eyes lighting up at the revelation.

“Hip hop but I joined K-Pop. You?”

“K-Pop,” Stell said proudly. He was met with a thoughtful look. “What?” Stell asked self-consciously. He couldn’t help but feel as if John Paulo was peering into him.

“You really like to dance, huh?” he answered after a while. Stell let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding in.

“I do,” he answered sincerely. “I’ve danced since I was about six and my dad got me a nice shoes for my birthday. I’ve been attached ever since. I tried a few different genre in middle school but because of my interest, nothing ever felt as good as dancing pop. You know that feeling you get when you have the best choreography and blockings for just a routine but that’s everything. I love the thrill of it – the way your brain moves through so many steps so quickly, only for you to have to choose just the right ones. And when it turns out to be the right one, it’s such a rush,” Stell explained.

He didn’t know why he was telling John Paulo that or where all of it had even come from. But he was met with that thoughtful look again.

“What?” Stell repeated, voice breaking out into a shy chuckle.

“It’s just…” John Paulo trailed off. “I’m surprised you didn’t mention it earlier when you were telling me about what you like to do for fun,” he admitted. “You still dance?”

Stell felt like he had been punched in the gut. He didn’t like the path this conversation was taking anymore but he couldn’t stop it.

“Ah sorry, don’t answer that if it’s personal,” John Paulo apologized. He opened his mouth to say something else – most likely to change the subject – but Stell cut him off.

“No, that’s okay. I’ll tell you about it,” Stell smiled hesitantly. “I was going to go professional. I wanted to go pro. I had a couple of offers even though my group didn’t make it past this certain finals. But I let the pressure of letting down my team. I was one of the pillars in my group. I did not want that pressure get to me and I didn’t accept any of the offers. I didn’t think I had a right to until I proved to myself and to everyone else that I was better.”

“Stell..,” John Paulo started hesitantly. Stell hated the way his voice broke. It sounded like pity, but he shook his head to stop whatever else John Paulo was going to say and continued anyway.

“I had until the end of the school year to accept any offers I had. My high school career ended in the summer but I was left with a couple of months to improve myself. So I threw all the free time I had into practicing. I knew I was overdoing it. I wasn’t giving myself enough time to rest in between but I got so used to using the exhaustion I felt after overworking myself as a coping mechanism, as a means to fall asleep, that I didn’t do anything to stop myself,” Stell admitted hollowly.

“Anyway, long story short: it was only a matter of time till I injured myself with the way I was going. I tore my ligaments, ACL and my MCL. The doctor told me to give it time to rest and to go to physiotherapy. But I ignored the instructions and practiced on it anyway. Safe to say, it never really healed properly. And you can guess the rest,” he finished.

Stell hadn’t realized that in the time he had started his story till when he finished, his eyes had shifted from looking at John Paulo's face to looking down at his shoes. He lifted his head back up shyly, only to be met with an unreadable expression on John Paulo's face. It made him feel on edge, if only because he hated the silence and the way he had just dampened their otherwise good mood.

“I’m sorry,” John Paulo finally said after a while. It was what everyone said and Stell had gotten used to hearing those words from anyone who found out. Somehow though, the way John Paulo said it no longer made Stell think he pitied him. His words were more forceful, supportive, angry even, which was different from all the other responses.

“It’s fine, I deserved it for not knowing my own limits,” Stell dismissed vaguely.

“No!” John Paulo voice cut through him as cold as ice. He dropped the hand he had raised in an attempt to brush the conversation off, eyes widening slightly.

“Pardon?” Stell asked, taken aback by the harshness of his tone.

“Don’t say that you deserved it. No one deserves something like that. Shit, Stell, don’t ever do that to yourself again,” he scolded, eyes narrowing in anger.

This was the first time Stell had seen John Paulo look pissed. It intimidated him a little, but he felt no malice in his words – just concern. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and nodded feebly.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, unsure whether he was apologizing to himself or John Paulo.

John Paulo nodded, understanding the words all the same. Stell scuffed his shoe in the dirt lightly making the dust float up around it before turning his head up to ask shyly, “Tell me about your group.”

He thought John Paulo was going to say ‘no’ with the way he was still frowning, face hard and unreadable, but then his expression softened and he asked quietly, “You sure?”

“Yes, I want to hear about them. Please?” Stell asked hesitantly.

“Okay, yeah,” John Paulo agreed. And just like that, he was smiling again, dimples and all, telling Stell more about his cover group and his friends back home.

He didn’t talk about why he transferred to Manila however, and Stell didn’t ask. He figured there was a reason for it but if John Paulo wasn’t going to offer it up. Especially considering he had almost ruined the perfect atmosphere by bringing up his past with dancing.

Well technically John Paulo had brought it up but Stell had almost let it slip into a pity party. Thankfully, John Paulo hadn’t allowed that to happen. So while Stell wanted to know more about the other man and what brought him to the city, he decided that was something he could leave for another time.

Another time.

Another date.

The thought made Stell smile because this really did feel like a date.

He turned his attention back to John Paulo and let himself get lost in the way the other man talked animatedly about his friends. It Stell that he loved performing just as much as Stell did, which was what spurred the next thought.

“We should dance together sometime,” Stell said suddenly.

“Dance?” John Paulo asked, pausing at the thought.

“Duh, what else?” Stell laughed, hitting John Paul's shoulder lightly with his own. He felt his upper arm heat up, even with the minimal contact.

“Yeah, okay. I’d love that. You know other people who dance?” John Paulo asked.

Stell chuckled at the question. “Just all of my friends,” he said with a grin. “Well you know Ken performs, but his boyfriend’s also a dancer. From a cover group too. They were actually on the same dance team. Then there’s Josh and Charles,” Stell counted off. “Oh and of course there’s JP,” he smiled.

“The guy who spilled coffee on me?” John Paulo asked suddenly. Stell almost stuttered at the memory, but he had nothing to worry about because when he looked at John Paulo, the man was sporting a lopsided grin.

“Yeah, the guy who spilled coffee on you,” Stell agreed with a laugh. “He’s actually on the university dance troupe. He lets me choreograph for him sometimes, so I know most of the team. We can probably convince some of them to join so that we can have a random dance routine instead,” Stell suggested. “Although we do have rigid warm ups, even thought it’s not my favourite thing… no offense,” Stell added as an afterthought.

“None taken,” John Paulo chuckled. “Us former performere wouldn’t have much to do without a proper warm ups anyway,” he agreed.

“You’re definitely very smart,” Stell cooed, but his eyes sparkled with a renewed mirth at the recognition. John Paulo coughed at the compliment, two perfect patches of red appearing on his otherwise smooth skin.

“Do you know all of them from high school?” John Paulo asked once he had gotten over his initial embarrassment.

“Nope, just Ken and Justin, not that we were really friends back then. I met Josh in first year since we were dorm mates and then Zio and JP because of him as well. Yuuki and Charles are in the year below us but Josh and JP know them so that’s how I met them. And actually, Josh and Ken have been friends since high school, which was news to me because Ken was all the way in south and Josh's always been in the city,” Stell explained.

“So what you’re telling me is that you’re friends with everyone because of Josh?” John Paulo laughed. Stell frowned, raising his eyebrows in thought at the question.

“Actually, yeah, you’re right. Huh, I never thought about it like that before,” he mused.

“It’s nice though,” John Paulo said suddenly. “That you’re all bonded through performing.”

“It is,” Stell agreed with a smile. “But now you are too,” he teased. “I mean, if you want to be. I can introduce you to everyone else?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” John Paulo nodded, smiling thoughtfully.

“Yay,” Stell clapped his hands excitedly. “I’m so happy, oh, let’s go by the clubs’ booths. Charles and JP should be around there somewhere,” he motioned tugging at the sleeve of John Paulo's jacket suddenly.

Stell wasn’t sure whether John Paulo agreeing to his introducing him to his friends was a thing he wanted to do right then, but he couldn’t help it. The excitement had seeped in and he couldn’t stop himself from wanting everyone to meet John Paulo and to like him just as much as Stell did.

In retrospect, he was probably getting ahead of himself. Neither of them had said anything to confirm that today was a date and yet, Stell was still pulling John Paulo along to meet his friends because he couldn’t hold back the excitement of them getting to know him.

Stell told himself that if anything, John Paulo could have said ‘no’ and asked to do something else if he really didn’t want to. But he hadn’t. He smiled and let Stell tug him along. Even when his pace matched up to Stell's, he didn’t do anything to stop Stell from keeping his hold on his sleeve. It wasn’t exactly holding his hand, but it was still intimate and Stell relished in that fact.

“Charles!” Stell greeted when he saw his friend sitting beneath the arts club’s stand. He looked bored, and a little startled when Stell called his name, but a smile found its way onto his face when he realized who it was that was speaking to him.

“Hi, Stell,” he greeted. “I haven’t seen you since last week. What have you been up to?” he asked, before letting his eyes fall to John Paulo, whose sleeve Stell was still gripping. He wasn’t sure why, but Charles' sudden smirk made Stell drop his hand.

“Oh nothing much. Work, homework, watching dance showdowns with JP and Josh.”

“So the usual then,” Charles laughed. “JP told me about the contest on Thursday. Sorry your team lost,” he apologized.

“It’s okay, we’ll get ‘em next time,” Stell smiled easily.

“Your team?” John Paulo suddenly asked, making Stell remember the reason that he was here in the first place.

“The dance team I am rooting for. The best team, obviously,” Stell said proudly.

“Are you kidding me? They're the last in the league!” John Paulo laughed. His laughter only increased at Stell's pout.

“Stop hating on my team, Sejun. What team do you even root for? I swear if you say the winning team I’m going home right now,” Stell threatened.

He wasn’t actually going to leave. Nothing would be able to make him walk away from John Paulo, even if the other man supported Stell-s most disliked dance unit in the contest.

“Oh wow, that’s a little harsh considering you invited me out in the first place,” John Paulo teased. Stell fake frown faltered a little, but John Paulo continued, giving Stell no reason to feel that he had been doing anything but joking with his earlier comment. “I liked the one with crazy acrobatics,” he grinned.

“So the second last team in the contest?” Stell raised his eyebrows disbelievingly.

“So you are aware of the standings,” John Paulo laughed.

Stell swatted his arm and whined, “Mean, Sejuni!” which just made John Paulo laugh harder. “It’s not like the runner ups are any better,” he pouted, poking at John Paulo's arm childishly.

“Hey, still better than being last,” he teased.

“You watch dancing too?” Charles asked, cutting John Paulo and Stell off from their private conversation. He didn’t look angry at being ignored, but Stell still blushed furiously all the same.

“Ah sorry Charles,” he apologized. “I want you to meet Sejun,” he smiled, gesturing to the man next to him.

John Paulo moved up and extended an arm. “John Paulo,” he corrected, staring pointedly at Stell who winked at him with his tongue out in response.

“Sorry,” he apologized, but he didn’t look sorry at all.

“Charles,” Charles greeted, taking John Paulo's extended hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too. So you’re in the arts club?” John Paulo asked, pointing to the sign above.

“Not really,” Charles laughed. “I’m a fine arts major but I ended up getting stuck with the job of promoting the arts club this year,” he admitted.

“Oh quit complaining. It’s only because all the professors love you so much. Charles is a prodigy,” Stell explained to John Paulo.

“Don’t call me that,” Charles sighed, face lighting up in embarrassment.

“You must have a lot of patience,” John Paulo remarked lightly.

“And why’s that?” Charles asked.

“You deal with this persistent kid voluntarily,” he jerked his thumb at Stell.

Stell's jaw dropped open at the words. “How rude of you, Sejun! I introduce you to my friend and you just say mean things about me,” he complained.

“Sorry, sorry,” John Paulo apologized. He was still laughing, but he did pat Stell's hair lightly, which appeased him a little.

“Where’s JP? We walked past the dance club’s booth but he wasn’t there,” Stell asked, leaning into the touch.

“Right there,” Charles pointed to JP who was heading they way. His hands were filled with as many boxes of food he could hold, which was unsurprising. He waved at them when he noticed the group, running the last few metres to make it to them.

“Hi~” he greeted, putting the boxes down on the table despite Charles' protests and latching himself onto the other man’s shoulder. “I almost got lost, I can’t believe you made me go get food all by myself,” he complained nuzzling his face in the crook between Charles' neck and shoulder. He didn’t look embarrassed by the display of affection at all, however Charles' face lit up, making him cough and pry himself out of JP grip.

“JP, don’t be rude,” he gestured towards Stell and John Paulo.

“Hey Stell,” JP greeted before turning to John Paulo. “And I take it you’re John Paulo. Hey man, listen about the last time, I’m really sorry about the coffee,” he apologized again.

“Don’t worry about it,” John Paulo waved off. “Let’s pretend that didn’t happen and move on, ok?” he asked good-naturedly.

“Okay, yeah, thanks dude. You’re really nice, I like you,” JP stated bluntly.

“He likes dancing, too,” Charles added.

“He joined a group and perform, too,” Stell corrected.

“Oh sweet! We should all hang out and dance sometime,” JP offered excitedly. Stell looked over to John Paulo as if to say ‘See, I told you so’ but John Paulo ignored the look and agreed to JP's proposal.

“I like you even better now,” JP exclaimed.

John Paulo chuckled nervously at that, but he didn’t look uncomfortable. They chatted with one another for a little while longer until JP turned his attention back to Charles and snuggled up the other man.

“JP!!,” Charles hissed, embarrassed at JP's lack of filter in front of other people. Stell didn’t even bat an eye, completely used to their antics, but John Paulo blushed slightly at the sight.

“I take it you’re dating?” he asked, which caused all heads to turn in his direction.

“Dating? Who’s dating? Me and Charles? What? No. No. You’re wrong. I have to get back to the club. Bye,” JP called hastily, detaching himself from Charles within seconds and disappearing back into the crowd.

“Uhm, I’m really sorry,” John Paulo apologized to Charles.

“Don’t worry about it. But I should go find him,” Charles sighed. “It was nice meeting you John Paulo. Take care, you two,” he greeted before walking after JP.

Next to John Paulo, Stell was trying to stifle his laughter very badly in his hands. “They’re not dating?” John Paulo asked. “Oi, Stellvestee that’s not funny. Stop laughing,” he nudged, breaking Stell away from his hand.

“Oh my god, what did you just call me? That’s so not cute!” Stell complained.

“Quit being goofy then. I feel terrible,” John Paulo mumbled.

“Don’t worry,” Stell reassured. “Everyone thinks they’re dating, you’re not the only one. They certainly act like they are and I know Charles for sure wants to be. Who knows what JP's problem is though,” Stell explained.

“You sure you should be telling me stuff like that?” John Paulo asked suspiciously.

“Psh, it’s common knowledge Sejun,” Stell waved off. “Want to share some snacks?” he asked suddenly, turning the conversation to a different topic in an attempt to lessen John Paulo's embarrassment.

“Sure, but you’re paying,” John Paulo chuckled when Stell protested. “Hey, it’s only fair since you let me embarrass myself,” he shoved at Stell's shoulder lightly.

“Fine, fine,” Stell agreed, tossing him a grin before tugging him towards the food stalls. Stell didn’t mind paying for John Paulo in the least. In fact, he was happy too, considering it made this whole day feel more like a date.

He didn’t stop at a hotdog stand though when his eyes found the yakisoba, then the spicy fish balls. He would probably regret eating so much fried food the next day, but he couldn’t stop himself, and John Paulo did nothing to end Stell's excitement either.

He did however, pay for the ice cream when it didn’t seem like Stell was going to end soon. Feeling bad that Stell was paying for everything, even though the food wasn’t very expensive.

They made their way to the concert stage after that, ice cream in hand. Stell was humming quietly to himself, something that didn’t evade John Paulo's notice.

“What are you humming?” he asked quietly.

“Oh I’m not really sure,” Stell laughed. “I heard this at the coffee shop the other day and I don’t remember the lyrics but the tune’s been stuck in my head ever since,” he admitted. He took a bite of his ice cream then and shivered visibly when the cold hit his tongue. The sky was getting darker and without the warmth of the sun, Stell couldn’t help but feel a little cold.

“You cold?” John Paulo asked, nudging him when he shivered again.

“Uhm… maybe a little,” Stell admitted sheepishly, but he took another bite of his strawberry ice cream all the same. He really couldn’t let a treat like that go to waste, especially if John Paulo had paid for it. He knew he should have worn a thicker clothes but he liked the way his olive cardigan had looked with his white shirt and blue jeans. And he didn’t have time re-work an outfit before John Paulo picked him up that morning when he realized this fact.

“Here,” John Paulo said suddenly, nudging Stell again to break him out of his thoughts, this time holding out his jacket.

“Hmm? Oh no, then you’ll be cold. You’re only wearing a t-shirt,” Stell gaped, feeling extremely conflicted. On one hand, John Paulo was offering him his jacket. On the other hand, he couldn’t be that big of an asshole that he’d let the other man be cold just for the gesture.

“Hey I'm from a cold town, remember? This is nothing. I only wore it just in case,” he waved his hand again. He didn’t seem to look uncomfortable wearing only his navy, cuffed short sleeved shirt, but the idea still made Stell frown.

Stell thought about it for only another second before accepting the same black bomber jacket John Paulo had been wearing that time he came in after closing. He put his ice cream bowl down on the grass beside him before putting the jacket on. It wasn’t meant to be zipped, Stell was aware it was only for style, but he zipped it up anyway, relishing in the warmth of John Paulo's body heat that was still lingering on the inside.

It smelled just like John Paulo too, which made Stell smile to himself. It was a new smell, one that he didn’t recognize, but he found that he liked, all the same. It was earthy, smelling of musk and just a tad bit fruity; maybe of charred wood infused with orange, Stell guessed.

“Thanks, Sejun,” he smiled, pulling his knees up and making himself comfortable. He heard the other man grunt in response, which was enough for him.

The concert was amazing, but Stell was too distracted the whole time to remember any of it even if it had been. He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed to admit that he had spent the majority of it with his knees pulled up to his chin, arms wrapped around the width of his legs and face stuffed within the jacket sleeves just so he could feel John Paulo's warmth on his face and breathe in the smell of his cologne.

When it ended, the sky lit up with fireworks, marking an end to the school festival as well. They hadn’t talked about staying until then, but John Paulo didn’t make a move to leave and Stell wasn’t going to do it either.

By the time they were walking back home, Stell realized it was already nearing 11 pm and he had spent almost eleven hours with the other man.

“I had a fun time today,” John Paull said when Stell was at his door. “Thanks for asking me to come with you,” he continued.

“I had fun too,” Stell agreed. John Paulo still hadn’t asked for his jacket back and Stell wasn’t sure whether he wanted to offer it up. 

Stell was running everything that had happened throughout the day in his head, wondering whether he had enough reason to just go for it when John Paulo spoke again.

“And meeting your friends was nice too, even if I embarrassed myself in front of them,” he laughed.

“I’m glad you still managed to have fun despite that,” Stell teased. He dropped his eyes to John Paulo's lips, hoping that the action would give him some kind of hint. He was rewarded when John Paulo stepped in closer, his own eyes dropping to Stell's lips.

“I did,” John Paulo insisted. “I’m glad I met you,” he continued.

“Me too,” Stell agreed.

“I’m glad we become friends.”

“Me… “ Wait, did he just say friends? “Too,” Stell finished, mouth forming around the word before he could stop himself.

Stell looked down at him, unsure what had just happened. He looked like he was interested – he had acted like he was interested the whole damn day. So why John Paulo just threw the word friends in there like that was beyond him. 

He looked at the other man, waiting for some kind of reply but John Paulo seemed to have been waiting for Stell to do the same. When neither of them spoke for a few awkward seconds however, John Paulo took a step back, widening the distance between them.

“Uhm, well, goodnight,” he said hurriedly.

He didn’t even wait for Stell to respond before he was turning around and walking down the stairs. 

Stell looked over the bannister like he had done just last night when John Paulo had walked him home. But this time he wasn’t met with a turn of the man’s head and a second wave when he reached the bottom.

Instead, he continued on his path home, not sparing Stell a second glance.

Friends! The word rang out in Stell's ears, as he watched John Paulo go. He made himself turn away from the road so that he could pretend like John Paulo had looked back at him when he was turned the other way.

But Stell knew that wasn’t the case.

He shakily put his key in the lock and opened the door. He collapsed against it when he was inside just like he had the night before. But this time, he was met with a hard ache in his heart and an urge to cry instead of the giddiness from the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again *friends* 👀 haha~
> 
> I was imagining university festivals have concerts like the one with UP Fair? Sadly I never got the chance to attend SB19's night this year. Honestly I regret never attending even my own university night. I never took risk going extremely late at night when I was in college before. Hmmm strict Ph parents.
> 
> Also, I mentioned wanting to try the fake chats and tweets from other aus. I figured why I couldn't do it too haha sorry for having these wordful dialogues in less scenes. But I hope you are having fun reading 😚➰💋


	8. Coffee Prince Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good evening Stelljun 'friends' 👀  
> haha!

It had been almost a week since the day Stell had dubbed as ‘The Worst’". He refused to acknowledge it in any other way. And he still wasn’t over the fact that John Paul had called him his friend. He had never hated a word more in his life and it wasn’t even a bad one. Stell had tons of friends and he was happy to call them as much when speaking about them but when John Paulo had used it towards Stell, it suddenly became a taboo word.

After coming home after that date-not date with John Paulo, Stell had spent the rest of the night curled up against the door, refusing to move until Josh came home around 4 am. At which point he picked Stell up and put him down on his bed since he wouldn’t budge otherwise.

Then Stepl had spent the rest of Sunday sniffling dramatically, unwilling to get up and do anything other than watch A Walk To Remember on repeat. He was sobbing and yelling at the screen every single time Jamie told Landon she had incurable cancer. It was only when Josh came home that evening to watch Stell on his fourth re-run of the day that he took out the DVD and held it hostage until he at least changed.

“Come on Stell, you have class tomorrow,” Josh had pleaded, regarding his friend with a wary face and a heavy sigh.

“I don’t care. I’ll go like this,” he had motioned to his Darth Vader t-shirt and grey speckled sweatpants.

“No you won’t. If you don’t go shower right now, I’m going to dump cold water on you first thing tomorrow morning. Your choice,” he had threatened, which was the only reason Stell even found himself clean and ready for bed at a decent hour that evening. He really hadn’t wanted to go to school the next day. He used the excuse that he didn’t have any of his assignments done, but Josh was a good roommate and an even better friend, much to Stell's chagrin.

He had packed Stell lunch, taken his keys, and pushed him out the door, refusing to let him back in until he knew his classes were over.

Tuesday was worse than Monday because Stell had work scheduled for the first shift. He had snapped at far too many customers in the span of twenty minutes. That had caused Justin to tell him to go home early, and make the executive decision to replace all of his shifts for the week in an attempt to do some damage control. So Stell was left with nothing but schoolwork to keep him occupied, which wasn’t nearly enough for the rest of the week.

However the worst day was Wednesday, when Stell received a text from John Paulo asking him whether he was working that day. He wasn’t sure whether he was angrier about the text or its contents, because who the fuck did he think he was? Making Stell feel like everything about their outing was a date only to crush his hopes?

Stell thought he had done everything right. They had a good time, albeit there being a bit of a bumpy patch along the way. But they picked up right after it as if nothing had happened. 

John Paulo had leaned into Stell's touches, hadn’t pushed his hand away whenever it lingered against his for longer than it should have. He even gave Stell his jacket when he noticed Stell was cold – which by the way, Stell had yet to return and had been wearing obstinately throughout the week.

Who did those things for just a friend?!

Stell felt venom seep into his tongue again at the mere thought of the word. It had caused him to chuck his phone against the room, but thankfully his floor was carpeted and his phone received no damage.

He had stared at the message for a while, contemplating ignoring it but in the end, Stell decided that a brusque, “No,” was more than enough to get his point across.

He did feel a little smug when he received just an “Oh,” in response, although it wasn’t enough to get rid of his bad mood. He briefly wondered if John Paulo had sent that message while at the store in the hopes of running into him. But Stell pushed that thought away as quickly as it had appeared because there was no point in getting worked up about something that simply wasn’t true.

He hadn’t responded to that second message and John Paulo hadn’t sent another one. Not for the rest of Wednesday, not on Thursday and not yet on Friday either. 

Stell knew he was being stubborn and that maybe he just hadn’t tried hard enough. But no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn’t help but feel like he had.

He didn’t know what else he was supposed to do. If John Paulo just didn’t like him then that was fine. Stell had stubbornly decided that he wasn’t sure they could be friends. He figured that in time, he would come to that understanding, if that was really what the other man wanted. But for now he was content wallowing in his own self-pity.

“Stell, come watch a movie with us,” Josh called from the living room on Friday night. When Stell didn’t responded however, he came to the door to repeat his offer.

“I don’t want to,” Stell refused stubbornly.

“Why not?” Josh questioned. “It’s Friday. It’s been almost an entire week since you’ve been held up in your own pity party. Enough is enough,” Josh snapped.

“I refused because I didn’t want to be a third wheel,” Stell bit back.

“You’re not going to be a third wheel,” JP said coming into view. “You’re our friend and we invited you to watch a movie with us. We won’t do anything friends wouldn’t do,” he continued.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to use the f-word!!!” Stell hissed.

“Come on man, you have to get over it. You can’t force someone to like you,” Josh said carefully.

“That’s not what I was trying to do!” Stell cried, fresh tears springing up on his face. He didn’t even bother to hide them from Josh and JP who were still standing at the doorway, watching him with contempt.

“He didn’t mean it like that,” JP comforted, stepping into the room and sitting himself cross-legged next to Stell. “Tell him you didn’t mean it like that!!” he repeated looking pointedly at Josh.

“I really didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry, Stell.” Josh apologized, stepping in and sitting on Stell's other side.

“It’s okay, I’m sorry for snapping at you.” Stell apologized through his sniffles, noticing and appreciating the genuine concern in Josh's voice.

“He may have had his reasons, which had nothing to do with you.” JP continued. “You never know, he could have just panicked at the last minute. You’re pretty attractive too, Stell,” he comforted.

Stell jutted his lip out at the compliment, unsure whether he wanted to believe it or not. “Maybe?” he answered unsurely. It was too good to be true, he decided.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. Josh with his arm placed around Stell's shoulder. JP running his fingers through Stell's hair soothingly until Stell felt his mood lift slightly.

“Sorry for ruining your movie night,” Stell apologized eventually.

“You didn’t ruin 'our' movie night,” Josh promised.

“You should go back to it. I’m fine,” Stell continued.

“No, you’re not,” JP said bluntly.

“What?”

“You’re not fine. Don’t tell us to go because you’re fine. I’m calling Justin,” he announced.

“Why?”

“Because it’s obvious we’re making you sad. Oh, don’t look at me like that Stell, we’re not offended. But Justin said Ken was going to be out late tonight and that he wanted to ask if you would come over there to catch up. But he was afraid that you’d get mad at the idea. He’s been thinking you’ve been angry with him since he took away all your shifts for the week,” JP explained.

“I… I’m not mad at him. Please tell him that,” Stell said softly.

“Tell him yourself. I’m going to text him to come over and get you,” JP said in a voice that didn’t leave much room for argument.

“Fine.”

Despite his verbal protests, Stell couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride at knowing he had people like this by his side. He was grateful for everything they did for him, and how well they knew him.

He couldn’t help the choked sobs that escaped him at the thought and when Justin came up. He didn’t hold back from whimpering pathetically against his friend’s shoulder.

It was nice hanging out with him though. It was a good distraction and to his credit, Justin didn’t bring up John Paulo at all. Instead, he talked about school and people they knew. He stayed away from any topic that could relate back to John Paulo. And when they got to Justin's apartment, he pulled out a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates before insisting Stell choose a series to marathon.

Stell even managed to convince Justin to give him back his Saturday shift, which was a stupid idea considering they were drinking. Justin agreed, happy to have his friend look in better spirits than he had all week.

They shared the bottle, which wasn’t strong to begin with so by the time it finished, Stell wasn’t feeling very drunk at all but rather in a happy, tipsy state, which he found he liked the best.

Around 9 pm, the front door rattled, and Stell peered up from under the blankets he and Justin had cocooned themselves in to look for the source of the noise.

“I thought you said Ken wasn’t going to be back till late.”

“That’s what he told me,” Justin frowned. “Maybe his plans changed.”

“Maybe. Oh, you should get him to drink with us. He’s so fun when he’s drunk!” Stell laughed lightly. Justin nodded his head in agreement, making Stell's face light up in a smile, only to have it fall in an instant when he noticed Ken hadn’t come back alone.

He glared accusingly at Justin who shook his head fearfully, silently apologizing. “I swear I didn’t know he was going to bring him here,” Justin hissed under his breath, eyes wide.

Stell didn’t respond, too angry to think of a response that wouldn’t hurt Justin's feelings. He knew it wasn’t his fault and from the guilty look on Ken's face at seeing Stell, he knew it wasn’t his fault either. Still, it didn’t stop Stell's eyes from narrowing and fury from settling deep into his features.

“Ah shit, I didn’t know you guys were hanging out!” Ken apologized guiltily.

“I texted you,” Justin said from beside Stell, looking wholly unimpressed and a little fearful.

“My phone died,” he pulled up the device in apology. “The library closed early today because they’re preparing for a conference tomorrow,” he explained embarrassedly. 

Stell's eyes moved from Ken's to John Paulo's who was standing behind him. When he realized that the other man was looking anywhere but at Stell, he felt his chest tighten in irritation.

“I’m going to go home,” Stell said suddenly, standing up and dropping the blankets around his feet.

“No, stay,” Ken and Justin said at the same time. 

“You were here first,” Ken insisted.

“This is your apartment, Ken,” Stell reminded. “I have work tomorrow morning anyway. I’ll leave you to your plans.” He moved away from the couch towards the entrance, very aware of how close he was to John Paulo. Yet the other man hadn’t said a word to him and Stell was too stubborn to be the first one to open up conversation.

He bent down to slip on his shoes, struggling a bit with the laces due to his slightly tipsy state mixed in with his rage.

“Let me walk you home, Stell.” John Paulo said unexpectedly, causing everyone in the room to shift their attention to him. Stell narrowed his eyes, unsure what kind of a game John Paulo was playing at. 

“Why? Because we're friends?” Stell bit back venomously. 

“I...” John Paulo stared at him at a loss for words. 

If Stell had been less tipsy he would have felt bad at having snapped at the man like that but it turned out that he wasn't able to really filter his thoughts in his current state. 

“Goodnight Justin, Ken,” Stell greeted, ignoring the protests he received from them. He swung open the front door forcefully and stepped out. He made it all the way down the stairs and outside the building before he heard footsteps running towards him. 

“Stell~!” John Paulo called from behind. Stell ignored the voice, refusing to turn around. 

“Stell, slow down,” he pulled at the sleeves of Stell's, no, his jacket, which Stell was still stubbornly wearing. The thought seemed to ground him and he let go, falling into step with Stell instead. 

He didn't say anything; he just let Stell lead. Walking next to him quietly but Stell could feel his eyes every time they turned to look at him before quickly turning away. As if he was trying to prove a point by not getting caught staring.

“What are you doing?” Stell snapped after a while when John Paulo made no move to turn back. 

“What do you mean? I'm walking you home.” 

“I never said you may.”

“But I want to,” John Paulo insisted. 

“Fine, do what you want,” he huffed, ignoring the fact that he had just repeated what John Paulo said, only in a slightly different way. 

But the grammar nazi John Paulo didn't make a comment if he had noticed. They walked in silence for a few more minutes until he cleared his throat and spoke again. 

“I'm sorry,” John Paulo apologized, making Stell scoff. 

“What?” John Paulo asked a little angrily at the response he received from Stell. 

“What are you sorry for?” Stell raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

John Paulo opened his mouth only to gape at him. 

“That's what I thought. Don't apologize for things when you don't have to, Sejun.” Stell scolded bitterly.

The use of the nickname sounded cold though and not the slightest bit endearing, unlike all the other times Stell had used it.

“So then why are you mad at me?” John Paulo asked. 

“Who said I was mad at you?” Stell responded childishly. 

“I'm not an idiot,” he said seriously. “If I didn't do something that warrants an apology then why have you not texted me? Why are you acting like this towards me?” he pressed, gesturing to Stell's scrunched up face and crossed arms. 

“Texting goes two ways,” Stell reminded. 

“I know. I texted you first. You shut me out, remember?” John Paulo sounded like he was on the verge of anger but somehow, he maintained an even tone. 

Stell was a bit impressed; he knew he was being unnecessarily difficult and unfair, but he couldn't stop himself. 

“Maybe you’re just bad at keeping up conversation,” Stell huffed, annoyed at having been accused – rightfully so – of ignoring John Paulo's messages.

“Fine, I’m sorry for not trying harder with our conversation,” John Paulo apologized sincerely. 

Stell stuttered, before he caught himself. The fleeting look of surprise was replaced in an instant by a haughty shrug.

“Whatever,” Stell responded airily, hoping that John Paul would ignore him. He was lucky for only a few more minutes. Then they reached the gate of Stell's apartment complex and he felt a hand grip his wrist, preventing him from going any further. 

“Tell me what I did, please?” John Paulo asked.

It was John Paulo's conviction that he was in the wrong that broke Stell.

Stell felt the guilt at having treated John Paulo so coldly rush through his veins, filling every crevice it could with ice. His face faltered, unsure what he was supposed to say, how he could even explain that none of this was in any way John Paulo's fault. 

“Please?” John Paulo repeated again, fingers loosening their hold on Stell's wrist only to tangle themselves between Stell's own. 

“I can't be friends with you, Sejun,” Stell said quickly.

“What? Why not?”

“I can't be friends with you because I like you. A lot. I've liked you ever since you first came into the coffee shop. I tried to get your name and failed. That made me realize just how much more I liked you. You're funny, and smart, and have really nice smile and nice arms. I can't stop thinking about you. When we went to the school festival last week, I for sure thought it was a date. You even gave me your jacket and leant in while we were at the door,” Stell jerked his head behind him, indicating where they had been just a few nights ago. 

“But then you said you were glad we were friends and ran off without even waiting for a reply. I won't lie, that stung, a lot. But I tried to understand it, tried to tell myself that I couldn't make you like me. Which is fine, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with it. You may want to be friends, but I don't. Not while I really like you anyway. So maybe this is selfish of me, but please don't text me or talk to me if we run into each other. I don't think we can be friends because it won't help me get over you,” Stell finished. 

He waited for John Paulo's hand to let go of his. He waited for the other man to push Stell away and tell him he was crazy. He waited for some kind of firm rejection, which he sorely needed to put John Paulo out of his mind. But he received none of those things.

Instead, he felt John Paulo's hand squeeze around his own. Saw the other man take a step toward him, felt his free hand cup his cheek slowly.. all before pressing his lips tenderly against Stell's. 

“That's not funny,” Stell whispered, pulling back, voice breaking around his words. 

“It wasn't meant to be,” John Paulo responded seriously. 

“But you don't like me,” Stell continued. 

“I never said that.”

“You don't like me,” he corrected. 

“I never said that either,” John Paulo chuckled, eyes glinting against the dim streetlights. 

“You ran away,” Stell reminded. 

“I did,” John Paulo agreed. “I was just thinking that you looked really pretty with the steet lamp lights catching your eyes. Then I saw you wearing my jacket and I realized you were real and not just my imagination and I got scared,” he admitted squeezing Stell's hand again. “I'm sorry for making you think I didn't like you,” he apologized with purpose. 

“You're so mean, Sejun! Do you know how sad I was all week?” Stell complained, but he was smiling and his eyes were glistening slightly. 

John Paulo flushed at the sight, taken aback by Stell's honesty but grateful for it all the same. “Let me make it up to you,” he offered, voice low. 

Stell saw his eyes flutter down his lips again and this time, Stell was certain what the action meant. 

“Hmm, are you sure? I think there's a lot for you to make up for,” Stell teased, bad mood having been lifted instantly. He stepped back so his back was against the brick wall lining the front of the apartment complex and tugged at John Paulo's hand to follow suite. 

“Yeah, yeah, I am,” he insisted.

It was all the warning Stell got before John Paulo was kissing him with none of the softness and hesitance from their first kiss. He didn't wait very long to turn the kisses open mouthed and lick at Stell's bottom lip, sucking it between his teeth lightly until Stell opened up. 

Stell felt the grip on their entwined hands tighten. John Paulo never let go; instead, he opted to use his other hand to caress every part of Stell he was allowed to. He ran his fingers through his hair, over his cheeks, his jawline down his neck. They hovered over his clavicle for a few moments – John Paulo seemingly mesmerized by the profound structure – before he ran them over Stell's chest and torso. 

When he got to his hips, John Paulo tucked his fingers inside the jacket before almost shyly slipping them beneath the shirt to graze the pads of his fingers against the smooth skin of Stell's stomach. 

“Sejun,” Stell whimpered from in front of him, breaking off from their kiss for breath. He was feeling lightheaded and dazed, and not all of it was from the alcohol. 

John Paulo hesitated again, fingers brushing lightly against the skin of his stomach before Stell took the initiative to wrap his hand around John Paulo's and press down.

That was all the consent he needed; he let his hand roam the expanse of skin and trace over the hard lines of Stell's torso. He was reminded when he met the muscle there that Stell had been a dance athlete in high school and he was so very grateful for that fact. 

Stell took that chance to touch John Paulo's forearm before letting his fingers trail up and squeeze around his bicep. The action made John Paulo chuckle a little bit, making Stell break off the contact. 

“What?” he pouted. 

“Nothing,” he said dismissively. When Stell's pout deepened, he explained himself. “I was just thinking how you had mentioned my arms during your confession,” he bit his lower lip to stop himself from laughing but Stell didn't miss the action.

“Don't be a tease,” Stell sulked. 

“I don't mind,” he answered, changing Stell's expression from putout to thoughtful. “Keep going,” he urged, blushing a little at the prompt.

Stell didn't need to be told twice. 

He squeezed around the muscle again before using his fingertips to trace the visible veins around it. John Paulo took that moment to kiss Stell again, taking his lower lip between his teeth and making Stell's hand momentarily stutter against John Paulo's upper arm before he was gripping against it for an entirely different reason.

Stell didn't mind the way John Paulo had slotted his knee between his legs, moving it every once in a while, making him feel a lot more than he thought he would that night. 

And he certainly didn't mind the way John Paulo busied himself with Stell's neck when his lips weren't pushed up against Stell's lips, pressing soft kisses and light nips to the skin, breaking it easily between his teeth.

He was mumbling something against Stell's skin, but Stell's head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and he couldn't make out anything other than a sharp static noise ringing out against his eardrums. 

He felt the other man trace light kisses up and down his neck until finally settling his lips against Stell's clavicle and biting lightly. It was that, along with the way John Paulo dug his hands into Stell's hips before grinding up against him that had Stell moaning before he could stop himself. 

“Sejun,” he panted, moving his head to the side so he could catch some air that wasn't the intoxicating smell of the man in front of him. “Don't go.” 

“I'm not going anywhere,” he mumbled, sucking against the protruding bone.

Stell shook his head. “I meant, don't go tonight. Stay,” he insisted, jerking his head up, towards the door of his apartment. 

John Paulo faltered at the suggestion. “I don't think that's a good idea,” he said slowly. He peeled himself off Stell to take in the other man's saddened expression. “And not because I don't want to. Believe me, I do. But you're not exactly sober,” he hesitated. 

“I know what I'm doing,” Stell insisted. “I'm not exactly drunk either,” he reminded. 

“Let's go out again,” John Paulo said suddenly. 

Stell raised his eyebrows. “Do you have some kind of two-date policy?” he teased. 

John Paulo shook his head. “I really like you, Stell. I told you I was going to make it up to you. So let's do this properly,” he insisted. 

Stell felt his throat constrict at the words. “I really like you too,” he repeated softly. 

He pulled John Paulo in again, relishing in the way he opened his mouth against Stell's immediately. He slipped his tongue in to run over Stell's teeth, around his gums, suck against his own tongue. He said he didn't want to stay, but the firmness of his actions said otherwise. 

“That's not fair,” Stell said quietly when John Paulo pulled back. 

“Hmm,” he answered against Stell's neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses and a few nips to the pale, milky skin. 

“You say you shouldn't stay, then you do that?” Stell whined out against the feeling of John Paulo's crotch moving against his own. “You don't play fair, Sejun,” Stell inhaled shakily. 

“Sorry, sorry, you're right,” he laughed, pulling away from Stell. 

“Not fair,” Stell repeated again. John Paulo kissed the pout off his face before releasing their fingers. “I should go though. I told Ken we'd work on our project proposal tonight,” he said apologetically. 

“Betrayed by my own friend,” Stell sniffed dramatically. “But alright, I guess I can cope. Especially because we're going out again. Just to be clear, this one is a date though, right?” he narrowed his eyes. 

“The last time was supposed to be one too,” John Paulo defended. Stell glared in response. “Hey I apologized for messing it up. But yes, this one is definitely a date,” he agreed. 

“Good,” Stell concluded. “I'll see you later then, Sejun,” Stell greeted placing a swift kiss to the other man's cheek before heading towards the stairs to his apartment. He leaned down over the bannister once he was outside his door and beamed at the fact that John Paulo was still watching him fondly. He waved once more before turning around to unlock the door when he realized he didn't have his keys since Josh had taken them from him earlier that week. 

“What's wrong?” John Paulo called, noticing the stall. 

“I… I don't have my keys,” Stell admitted embarrassedly. 

“You forgot them?”

“I didn't forget!” Stell insisted, walking back down the stairs towards John Paulo who was still rooted in the same spot as earlier. “Josh took them from me,” he explained. 

John Paulo raised his eyebrow but didn't press him further. “He's not home?”

“He is.”

“Then just knock,” John Paulo answered, like it was the most obvious thing to do.

“I can't. Josh is a heavy sleeper. If he didn't notice me shouting from outside the door then I'll be disturbing our neighbors,” Stell fidgeted. 

John Paulo mouth fell open into an ‘o’ as Stell's explanation dawned on him. He opened his mouth to say something, stopped short at the idea, and then opened his mouth again. 

“You can stay at my place then,” he said quickly. 

Stell stared at him in surprise. “Really? I thought you were going tell me to go back to Justin and Ken's,” he laughed. 

“Only because mine is closer,” he defended. In the glow of the streetlights surrounding the complex, his blush was very visible. Stell hid his smile behind his hands before nodding in agreement. 

“Thanks Sejin, just don't try something,” he teased, much to John Paulo's chagrin.

“You silly,” he huffed, turning his face to hide the blush. But he led the way to his apartment all the same. 

“I thought you had homework to do tonight? You may not know this, but Ken's pretty scary when he's angry,” Stell mused after a while. “You probably don’t want to piss him off.”

“I'll tell him something came up. He'll understand," John Paulo insisted. He pulled out his phone to type a message before pocketing it and reaching out for Stell's hand. 

The action took Stell by surprise but he slipped his fingers between John Paulo happily. Tugging every so often so that their shoulders bumped. It was a kind gesture, one without any hidden meanings or connotations. It was innocent and sweet Stell could never have imagined being so happy about holding hands but he was.

The walk to John Paulo's apartment wasn't long at all but it was that scene that replayed in Stell's head over and over again as he fell asleep that night, face buried in John Paulo's pillows that smelled exactly like him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dreamy Sejun everyone! I missed my playboy Sejun from Faded Memories~
> 
> I struggled with the kisses. Haha! How was it?


	9. Coffee Prince Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: THIS CHAPTER IS N-17 and/or R-18 !!!
> 
> In one of their guestings, an interviewer noticed that Stell and Sejun's ideal date itinerary were similar right? Hmm I remember Sejun diverted the topic, why po haha?

When Stell's alarm rang the next morning, he woke up curled under unfamiliar grey blankets. He almost forgot how he got there. Then he heard John Paulo's groan from the bed above and everything that happened last night came rushing back: His movie night with Justin, John Paulo walking him back to his apartment, confessing his feelings and having them returned, getting locked out of his apartment and then ending up at John Paulo's place…

Not that anything happened.

And certainly not for a lack of trying on Stell's part, but John Paulo was pretty adamant about keeping Stell in check. It had stung his ego a little, but he was too giddy from the alcohol and the fact that John Paulo liked him to take it to heart.

“Stell, what the? Turn that off,” he demanded, throwing a pillow down heavily.

“Sorry, sorry,” Stell apologized, quickly flicking the alarm off. He lay back against the mattress for a couple more minutes before he heard the bed creak above him.

“What are you doing?” Stell asked, pulling the sheets off his head. He was met with the sight of John Paulo clad in a red t-shirt and black boxers. So his thighs were firm, and not just because Stell had felt them between his legs yesterday. He hadn’t really gotten the chance to appreciate them last night considering John Paulo had set up an extra mattress for him after Stell had refused to take his bed instead. Then John Paulo went back to the living room to continue working on his homework.

Workaholic.

He gulped, blushing slightly when he noticed John Paulo raise his eyebrows at him. “Getting up,” he replied simply.

“But it’s still only 6 am,” Stell frowned. “And it’s a Saturday,” he reminded.

John Paulo shrugged. “I can’t sleep once I’m up,” he mumbled quickly, heading to the bathroom before Stell could protest. 

Stell's face twisted in guilt as he leaned his head back down against the pillow, pulled the blankets back over his head, and groaned. John Paulo hadn’t seemed upset at being woken up but that didn’t stop Stell from feeling like a jerk anyway.

He was given a few more minutes of silence before John Paulo opened the door to the bedroom and told Stell that the bathroom was free for him to use.

Stell hadn’t really thought about how he would get ready for the day considering all of his things were at his apartment and he still didn’t have his keys. John Paulo offered him a clean shirt and sweatpants, which was all Stell needed to make it to work. He had a spare uniform in the employee room, which would do for the day.

What Stell hadn’t expected was for John Paulo to get ready with him and leave the apartment as well, grabbing his bag on the way out.

“Where are you going?” Stell asked, eyes wide at the sight of John Paulo ready to leave at 6:40 am on a Saturday, of all days.

“You open at 7 am, right?” 

Stell nodded to confirm what he asked was true. 

“I’ll just study at Coffee Prince until Ken wakes up then,” he shrugged. “Since I ditched him yesterday, I figured I could start our project early.”

Stell's eyes widened slightly. “You’re going to come to work with me?” he asked slowly, unsure whether he had heard right.

“Yes?” John Paulo asked uncertainly.

“Okay. Saturday mornings are pretty quiet so it’s a good time to study.” he confirmed, face melting into a soft smile. “Although if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you just wanted to spend more time with me,” Stell teased.

“Maybe I do,” John Paulo answered so seriously that Stell was forced to step back and tilt his head thoughtfully at the other man.

“Good,” Stell eventually answered, reaching for the jacket he had worn last night before remembering that was John Paulo's. “I should really give this back to you,” he laughed, even as he slipped it on.

“Hmm,” John Paulo agreed half-heartedly, but he didn’t give any other indication that he wanted it back otherwise.

The walk to Coffee Prince was a little longer than it would have been had Stell been walking there from his own apartment. But Stell didn’t consider it a nuisance. Especially because John Paulo was walking next to him, their hands entwined with one another. Stell wasn’t sure who had reached for the other’s hand first, but he found that he didn’t care. Even holding hands with John Paulo was nice.

When they got to the front of the store, John Paulo hesitated. “Hey, go in first. I’ve got to take this call,” he waved the phone that had started vibrating in his hand.

“Okay,” Stell agreed, briefly wondering who was calling him so early in the morning before his eyes caught sight of the ‘Mama’ that flashed across his screen. The thought made Stell smile, and he nodded again before walking into the store.

“Hey! I didn’t know you were working today,” JP greeted, smiling at Stell from behind the counter where he had already set up his post.

“Ah yeah, I convinced Justin to let me have my shift back,” Stell laughed hesitantly. “Thanks for setting up,” he motioned to the machines that were turned on.

“Are you wearing my shirt?” JP asked suddenly, making Stell frown. He looked down at the navy shirt he had on that was a little too large on him at the shoulders because it was John Paulo's then back to JP who was watching him with a peculiar expression on his face.

“I’m not.” Stell shook his head in denial. 

“That definitely looks like my shirt. Look! the collar's too big on you,” he motioned, moving away from his spot to come in closer.

JP pulled at the front lightly, proving that it was a little wide on him. Stell swatted his hand away quickly, if only because he didn’t want JP to see the kiss marks underneath that Stell had noticed embarrassedly that morning while he had been changing. 

“Just because you have this shirt doesn't mean it's yours,” Stell defended, stepping towards the employee room only to be pulled back by JP. 

“Dude, it's okay if you took it. Just why?” he pestered. 

“It's not your shirt, JP,” Stell hissed, rubbing his neck to hide the flush that had appeared.

The bell above the door sounded, distracting JP from pressing the matter further. “Sorry, we're not open yet,” he called over his shoulder. His back was turned to the front so he couldn't see who had entered but Stell's eyes softened upon seeing that it was John Paulo. 

“Don't listen to him, you can come in!” Stell beckoned, moving JP aside so he could see John Paulo properly. 

“Ah, sorry,” John Paulo said, shooting an apologetic look towards them. 

“What are you apologizing for? I said you can come in,” Stell grinned. “Sit anywhere you like. I'll be right back. I'm going to go change,” he gestured towards the door that led to the employee room. 

John Paulo nodded in confirmation, which was all Stell waited for before heading towards his destination. He wasn't surprised when JP followed him, standing behind the door once it closed with his arms crossed and a frown etched into his features. 

“So I guess it's not my shirt after all.”

“I told you it wasn't,” JP said smugly. He took off the jacket and hung it in his locker before pulling out his work shirt and slacks. 

“So… I'm lost. I thought you weren't talking to him or he wasn't talking to you. I'm not really sure considering you didn't say much besides ‘if you ever use the word ‘friend’ again I'm going to stab you with a fork’ the last time I saw you,” he quoted. 

Stell flushed at the memory. That had been just hours ago and he hadn't talked to JP since. Cconsidering he had been avoiding most people all week. “Well clearly we're talking,” he gestured to the other side of the door where John Paulo was. 

“I can see that,” JP rolled his eyes. "Why are you wearing his shirt?" he pressed, trying and failing to hide his curious smirk.

“If you must know, he let me borrow it this morning. No, no, not because of whatever it is you're thinking,” Stell added quickly, noticing the way JP's eyebrows were steadily rising into his hairline.

“Although I wish, but he was pretty adamant about ‘doing this right’ whatever that means,” Stell trailed off. “But I kind of called him out last night for ditching me after what had felt like a date by passing it off as just friends hanging out. I know, it was stupid of me to do in retrospect but I was a little tipsy – you can blame Justin for that,” Stell explained. 

JP raised his eyebrows higher, enough that they were threatening to disappear right into his hair but he didn't say anything. Stell pulled his work shirt over his head before continuing. 

“And then we kissed and I got locked out of my apartment and well, here we are,” he gestured around them vaguely. 

“Wow, Stell. I don't know whether I should be impressed by your confidence or appalled by your delivery. How'd you manage to do it?” he laughed. 

“With the help of some liquid courage that allowed me to ignore the sensible side of my brain,” he answered easily. 

“That was a rhetorical question,” JP deadpanned. 

“That was a serious answer though,” Stell grinned, buttoning up his slacks and shutting the locker closed. “Anyway, he said he wants to go out on another date so apparently last week was one.” Stell puffed out his chest proudly. 

“I don't even know whether to be shocked by your changing moods or not anymore,” JP sighed. 

“You're one to talk!” Stell squawked, although he couldn't help but let a little smile slip through the indignation in his voice. 

He grabbed a spare apron and slipped it over his head, tying it behind his back before he opened the door towards the store. He waited for JP to head out before following. 

John Paulo looked up from his place at his table when he noticed them walk in and smiled in Stell's direction. Stell grinned back, and waved brightly before taking his place behind the counter. 

For the most part, the morning went by quickly. Every time there was a stall in the store, Stell found himself leaning across the counter and staring unabashedly at John Paulo. He looked really cute with his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration and Stell couldn't help but smile fondly every time he caught the sight. He even took out his phone to take a picture at one point, only to forward it to John Paulo. He watched as the other man picked up his phone, blushed furiously at the comment that read ‘Sejun’s sexy study mode’ and looked up to glare in Stell's direction. 

But his glare was hardly menacing when his face was so red, and it did nothing to stop Stell from ducking behind the counter to hide his laughter. 

“You're such a good student,” Stell sighed, reaching the table John Paulo was sitting at during his break. 

John Paulo looked up from his notes at Stell's comment. “Why do you say that like it's a bad thing?” he frowned. 

“Because you're not paying attention to me,” he pouted. The honesty took John Paulo by surprise but he didn’t seem put off by it so Stell continued, “I made you something.” He slid into the empty seat across from John Paulo and put the drink in his hand in front of the other man, urging him to try it. 

“What is it?”

“Iced peppermint latte,” Stell answered, pushing the drink further towards John Paulo. 

He watched John Paulo pick it up and take a sip through the straw before placing it back down on the table. 

“You don't like it?” Stell asked at the lack of reaction. 

“I didn't say that,” John Paulo frowned. 

“You didn't say you did either,” Stell argued. 

“It's a little sweet, but it's nice. Thank you,” he smiled. 

“Ah so you don't like it,” Stell complained, pulling the drink back towards him. He took a sip of it without John Paulo's permission and wrinkled his nose at the taste. “You think this is sweet?” he asked, shocked at the thought. 

“You don’t?” John Paulo laughed. 

“No. Good thing I decided against the caramel one then. You weren’t lying when you said you didn’t like sweets,” Stell recalled, speaking more to himself than to John Paulo. “You're so hard to make drinks for. What do you even drink in the morning and don't tell me it's that powdered instant coffee.” Stell shuddered. 

John Paulo opened his mouth to reply then closed it, giving Stell all the response he needed. “That's so gross, Sejun! I refuse to let you drink that stuff anymore. You don't even know what good coffee tastes like,” Stell complained dramatically. 

“Oi, leave my coffee preferences out of it. We can't all be caffeine-prudes like you,” he chuckled when he was met by a loud gasp. 

“How dare you,” Stell continued dramatically. “Next time I come over, I'm throwing all of your instant coffee out. You’re lucky I didn't see it this morning,” Stell scoffed. 

“Next time?” John Paulo asked, amused smile playing on the edge of his lips. 

“Yes, next time,” Stell responded confidently. However, when John Paulo didn't make a move to answer, his face heated up and his gaze faltered. 

“How about tonight?” John Paulo asked before Stell could think that he had said the wrong thing. 

“What?” 

“You wanna come over tonight?” John Paulo asked again, louder this time. 

“Like a date?” Stell teased. 

“Like a date,” John Paulo confirmed, gulping hard.

Stell's eyes followed the sudden dip of his Adam’s apple before he flicked them back up to meet John Paulo's gaze. “Sure,” Stell agreed, smile and confidence back in place. “What time?”

“How’s eight sound?”

“Perfect,” Stell grinned. “I'll see you then,” he promised, leaning in to press a quick kiss to John Paulo's lips before pulling back with a wink. 

John Paulo's eyes widened at the gesture, face heating up in embarrassment. 

“Stell,” he hissed, but he didn't seem angry – just a little self-conscious. 

Stell on the other hand didn't look embarrassed in the least. He waved goodbye to John Paulo before returning to the cash register. 

A little while later, John Paulo packed up his things and came over to tell Stell he was heading out. Stell wouldn't deny that he was a little disappointed by the fact that he had nowhere to look for a distraction for the rest of his shift. But he was reminded that he’d have something better when John Paulo confirmed their plans for that night. 

“Why is he so adorable?” Stell sighed in admiration watching the muscles in John Paulo's back flex under his shirt as he walked out of the shop. 

Stell leaned his cheek against his palm and let his elbow rest against the cool metal counter, staring at the same spot long after John Paulo was gone. 

“Just yesterday you hated him,” Zio reminded quietly.

He had replaced JP not too long ago. Zio had seen Stell and John Paulo being friendlier than he had expected them to be considering Stell's terrible mood before he left home last night. He had only raised his eyebrows knowingly.

“That didn't mean I didn't think he was still hot,” Stell defended. “I just get to appreciate it more today,” he hummed. 

“Stop drooling and get back to work,” Zio nudged, wholly unimpressed. 

“Hey, don’t forget who the boss is here,” Stell pouted but he did what he was asked all the same. 

At around 7:55 pm, Stell checked himself in mirror one last time before heading out. He didn't know what they would be doing but if John Paulo had invited him over to his apartment then he figured they were staying in. 

Still, that didn't stop him from dressing up a little. He wore a pair of slim, navy selvedge jeans, and a plain white button down with a lighter coloured navy sweatshirt on top. It was a little extra for the weather but Stell always figured he could take the sweatshirt off if he got too hot. It wasn't very thick anyway. Plus, he got cold extremely easily and much preferred to stay a little too warm than a little chilly. 

He paused at his apartment door on his way out, contemplating whether he should grab a jacket and decided that he might as well. His fingers lingered on John Paulo's borrowed jacket. He pulled it on unapologetically, smiling when he noticed that it still smelled like him – that wonderful burnt yellow and musk scent that made Stell's toes curl.

The walk was short, barely even five minutes between their apartment complexes, and when he reached John Paulo's door, it was exactly eight. 

Stell paused, wondering if he should wait a few more minutes before shaking that idea from his mind and bringing his hand up to the door to knock, which opened in a matter of seconds. 

What Stell was expecting on the other side however, was nothing he could have imagined. 

John Paulo was standing in front of him wearing black running shorts and a sleeveless grey gym shirt, exposing his arms and legs in their sweaty, toned glory. 

Stell stuttered, stopping himself from letting his mouth hang open at the sight. “Am I early?” he managed to ask, bringing his wrist up to glance at the time, wondering if he had made some kind of mistake in his excitement. 

“No, no, come in,” John Paulo moved aside to make space for Stell. “I was just doing stretches and lost track of time. Sorry, I didn't get a chance to shower. Do you mind?” he asked sheepishly, running a hand through his already messy hair.

Stell shook his head, mesmerized by the way the muscles in John Paulo's arms flexed at the action. He had to stop himself from drooling at the visible biceps and the veins that lined them when he had his palm lifted to the back of his head. John Paulo seemed to have noticed Stell's line of sight however because he quickly lowered his arm, bright pink blush spread across his cheeks. 

“I'll be right back. There's beer in the fridge but I also have juice and water if you don't want to drink,” he offered. “I'm really sorry,” he apologized again, leading them inside his apartment. 

Stell shook his head. “It's okay, I really don't mind,” he insisted.

How could he when the thought of John Paulo giving up showering at the gym to rush over before Stell got there made him so excited? It was a sweet gesture, one that didn’t go unnoticed by him.

“Go shower, you smell gross,” Stell teased, pushing at John Paulo's arm lightly if only so he could get the chance to casually feel up his arm a little. 

“Don’t throw my coffee out,” John Paulo instructed, grinning before taking his leave.

“I can’t make any promises,” Stell called out, which was met by a shake of John Paulo's head. 

Stell smiled to himself at the sight before moving towards the kitchen. He didn’t get a chance to take a look around last night since he’d gone straight to bed, with the exception of a few more stolen kisses before. So he hummed at the newfound opportunity.

The entire apartment was very clean; that was the first thing Stell noticed. It was also very empty. John Paulo didn't seem to have a roommate given the single room and the lack of a second bed inside it. Stell figured it was because he was new and didn't know many people, if any.

The kitchen wasn’t large, but that was expected of a one-bedroom apartment. It was filled with mismatched plates and bowls and cups, but Stell found that it added to the charm. He opened a couple of cabinets only to find the usual ingredients before he reached the dreaded instant coffee.

He extended his hand, tempted to actually throw it out before he withdrew his touch, realizing he was probably overstepping his boundary. He couldn't change what John Paulo liked. He wouldn't have wanted to do that anyway, so he left the coffee alone. He did however make a mental note to buy him some better stuff at some point though, in an attempt to convert him. 

Stell had just managed to open the fridge, clucking his tongue against the roof of his mouth at the lack of food inside when he heard the bathroom door open. 

“I'll be there in a few minutes,” John Paulo called, throwing a smile in Stell's direction before heading inside his bedroom. He disappeared so quickly that Stell didn't have the chance to fully appreciate his half naked form but it was enough to give him a glimpse of his built upper half. 

God, was everything about that man good? Stell almost felt on edge at the thought. Unsure whether he would be able to satisfy John Paulo. He seemed focused a lot more on cardio than weightlifting. He wasn't unfit but he definitely couldn't compare either. 

The thought was cut short when the bedroom door opened and John Paulo stepped out, hair a little damp from his shower, but otherwise clean and clothed. He was clad in a pair of simple, dark wash jeans and a light blue button up with the sleeves artfully rolled up to his elbows. He smiled at Stell almost shyly, which made his heart lurch in his chest before he grinned back. 

“You changed so fast,” Stell remarked, impressed by the short amount of time it took John Paulo to go from ‘casual cutie’ to ‘date-ready.’

“I'm sorry for making you wait,” he apologized again. 

Stell brushed the apology off with a quick wave. “Sejun looks really good,” he commented, giggling when he was met with a surprised reaction. Stell wasn't sure whether John Paulo just didn't know how hot he was or if he was just that shy. 

“You do too,” he choked out. Stell raised his eyebrows, stifling a laugh at the nervous expression on John Paulo's face. 

“Thanks,” he beamed in response. “So what’d you have planned for the night?”

“Honestly, I was just thinking of having takeout while watching a movie but you look so good, we can go out somewhere so your dressing up doesn't go to waste?” he blushed. 

Stell blushed at the honesty, before shaking his head at the suggestion. “I dressed up for you,” he reminded. “Let’s stay in.”

“You sure?” John Paulo asked dubiously. 

“Yes,” Stell repeated. “Now where are your takeout menus? I'm picking,” he grinned. 

John Paulo didn't fight him on it. He handed all the menus he had and let Stell decide, happy to watch the squeal of delight Stell let out when he noticed what a wide selection he had to pick from. 

“You're such a good student, keeping so many of these with you,” he teased. “Let's get the fried squid and yakisoba chicken. Oh, oh! and some mixed vegetables and steamed rice too, just for variety,” he grinned. “What do you want?” he asked placing the menu he had chosen into John Paulo's hand. 

“That's all for you?” John Paulo laughed. The joke wasn't even that funny but it made Stell smile all the same. Cute, he thought every time John Paulo laughed.

“No, silly,” he poked John Paulo's cheek with a huff. “Pick what you want too.”

John Paulo looked at the menu briefly before up he picked up his phone and typed in an order. “What'd you get?” Stell asked when he was done. 

“Hotdogs.” 

“That's so healthy!” Stell complained. “No wonder you're more built than I am?” he sighed to himself. He wasn't quiet enough because John Paulo still heard him and chuckled in response. He pulled Stell against him before flipping the tv on. 

“What are we watching?” Stell asked, leaning into the touch. He rested his head against John Paulo's chest. It was relaxing and he couldn't help but be brutally aware of how easy it felt.

“The Lion King,” John Paulo answered stiffly. “What?” he asked when he felt Stell laugh against him. 

“I didn't know you were a Disney fan,” Stell mused. 

“We can watch something else…”

“Nah, I like The Lion King. I just didn't think you would. Do you have the second one too? It's kind of romantic how the two prides come together, huh?” he sighed happily. 

“I knew you were a sap,” John Paulo teased, before adding, “It is a little romantic,” much to Stell's pleasure. 

John Paulo got up when the doorbell rang to signal the arrival of their takeout. Stell didn't like the loss of John Paulo's heat but when the man came back to the couch with a six-pack of beers and their dinner, Stell hummed happily. 

“Are you crying?” John Paulo teased when he heard Stell sniffling next to him. 

“Are you not?" Stell quivered. “Look at how lost Simba looks, and he thinks it's his fault that his father died too. That is so sad, Sejun,” Stell hiccupped.

John Paulo bit back a laugh but he wasn't quick enough to avoid getting heard by Stell. “Don't laugh at me crying,” he poked. “You big meanie.”

“Hey, hey, I'm sorry,” John Paulo appeased, brushing Stell's hair behind his ear. “I won't laugh,” he agreed, face sombre before realizing that Stell was joking. “You asshole, don't scare me like that,” he huffed, pushing Stell away slightly but he bounced back and leaned in closer. Stell tucked his knees up to his chin and leant his head against John Paulo's chest, bringing the takeout box up to his mouth to eat absentmindedly with his attention back to the movie at hand. 

It was satisfyingly comfortable and Stell was brought to the realization, I really like him again and again throughout the night. When the movie ended and John Paulo put in the second one. Stell whined at the loss of his touch the entire time John Paulo was away from him. 

“So needy,” John Paulo muttered, but he didn't seem to mind. Especially with the way he pulled Stell flush against him, carding his hands through his hair softly. Stell hummed into the touch, almost incredulously.

He couldn't believe all this was real, that John Paulo was real. And he liked Stell. Enough to invite him over for an impromptu date, to dress up for him even though they were staying in, to affectionately run his hand through his hair. 

It was real and Stell was almost afraid of it being a dream. John Paulo seemed to have read his mind though because he turned his head to take another gulp of his beer before bringing the hand down and wrapping it firmly around Stell's waist. The added pressure soothed Stell's mind even if it made his heart speed up all the same. 

“Want some?” Stell asked, noticing that the squid was almost all gone and he had pretty much eaten all of it. 

“Sure,” John Paulo answered. He moved his hand from Stell's head to take the pair of chopsticks from Stell but Stell was already turning his head to the side and lifting his arm up to feed John Paulo himself. 

John Paulo paused at the action, then he opened his mouth and let Stell place the piece of fried squid in it. He was painfully aware of Stell's gaze on him as he chewed. 

Stell watched with some kind of fascination. The movie was still playing in the background but he couldn't hear anything that was going on anymore. It was as if the world had cut off all sound that wasn't John Paulo. His eyes traced the bob of his Adam’s apple that moved slowly in time with John Paulo's swallows before he hesitantly reached forward to place a feather-light kiss on the bone. 

“Stell,” John Paulo said roughly, halfway through swallowing his food.

It didn't sound like a threat though, so Stell pressed his lips to the same spot again, harder this time before gently nibbling at the skin beneath. He felt John Paulo's grip around his waist tighten, making him feel bolder so he turned his head to get a better angle and kissed his neck again.

This time, he twisted his hips before burying his nose into the crook of John Paulo's neck, inhaling that musky, woody, yellow scent he couldn’t seem to get enough of. “You always smell so good,” he breathed against John Paulo's neck. He heard the other man’s breath hitch; Stell's face turned up into a smile.

Stell dropped the food in his hand onto the coffee table before shifting his entire weight so that he could place his knees on either side of John Paulo's thighs. He hovered above him so that the fabric of their pants bristled, but Stell kept his weight firmly on his knees.

He straightened his back so that John Paulo was forced to tilt his head to look up at him. He leaned forward, face pressed up against Stell's chest just so he could drop the bottle in his hand on the coffee table as well before he was pulling back to lean his head against the back of the couch.

“Stell,” he said again, breath hitched when Stell tangled his hands in John Paulo's silky hair only to tilt his head up further.

Stell placed a soft kiss on John Paulo's forehead before angling his head to place a trail of kisses along the side of his face, his cheek, along his jaw. He wanted nothing more than to shift his weight off his knees and drop down against John Paulo's thighs. He loved the way John Paulo was staring at him, eyes glassy and lips dry, attention focused entirely on Stell.

He felt the other man’s hands on his ribcage before John Paulo started trailing them down the length of Stell's torso. He was wearing too many layers of clothing to really appreciate the way John Paulo's hands could make his body feel like it was on fire. But it was still enough to leave a lasting warmth everywhere his fingertips grazed.

“Mmm, you know you can touch me,” Stell teased, dipping down to bite John Paulo's chin lightly. “Like this,” he explained, releasing his hold on John Paulo's hair to bring his hands on top of the other man’s. He maneuvered them so that they were placed on the edge of his sweater, right where the hem hit his pants before sliding them up, underneath the two layers of clothing he had on.

John Paulo blushed, but didn’t fight it. Moving his hands up and down the expanse of Stell's torso, letting his fingers slip between his ribs where he pressed down slightly. The feeling made Stell shudder and he suddenly didn’t think he could take teasing John Paulo anymore. “Keep going,” he urged before capturing John Paulo's lips in his own.

There was none of the hesitance Stell had from the night before. He didn’t let John Paulo take the lead like he had the last time either. Instead, Stell pushed his lips flush against John Paulo's, tilting his head so he could slot their mouths together easily.

He let his tongue roam John Paulo's bottom lip, darting out to lick a line around the edges. He tasted like their takeout mixed with beer. It was slightly intoxicating if in an entirely different way from how Stell felt when he parted John Paulo's lips and slipped his tongue inside the other man’s mouth.

Stell's hands never stopped roaming, moving across John Paulo's broad shoulders and back, trying to get a handle on the feeling of the tensed muscle beneath him. He pressed himself down, then rolled up against John Paulo's front, earning him a choked groan, which he swallowed into his mouth greedily.

“Shit, Stell,” John Paulo growled, moving away from the kiss. He leaned his head against Stell's chest, breathing heavily, but his hands never came out from beneath the fabric.

The movie had stopped playing by then and the only sounds in the room were ragged breaths that echoed off the walls. Stell took the initiative to roll his hips down again and was satisfied when he felt a hardness rub against his thigh. He let out a content hum but before he could fully appreciate the fact that he could turn John Paulo on like this, he was being pushed back.

John Paulo kicked the coffee table with his leg before tossing Stell unceremoniously to the ground. Thankfully, his back landed against the rug. “Oh!” Stell breathed out in surprise before John Paulo was toppling over the couch right on top of him. John Paulo grabbed Stell's hands and pinned them above his head, using his elbows to support most of his weight.

“Sejun,” Stell whispered, moving his hips up in search of friction. He was surprised when John Paulo took that exact moment to grind his hips down against Stell's, making him cry out in want and frustration.

“What? You thought you were the only one who could tease?” John Paulo asked, grinning.

“Not fair,” Stell complained, although the rest of his protest was forgotten when John Paulo ground down again. This time keeping a steady rhythm. He busied his mouth in Stell's neck, moving the collar of his shirt aside to kiss along Stell's clavicle before deciding that it wasn’t enough. He momentarily unpinned Stell's hands to pull his sweatshirt.

“Off, take it off,” he mumbled, pulling up and groaning when it got caught in his button down. “Why are you wearing so many clothes?” he asked, pressing into Stell's mouth again a moment later

“Sejun, you’re going to have to move if you want me to take them off,” Stell reminded, fresh blush caking his cheeks at the mere thought of John Paulo wanting him to take his clothes off. He didn’t know why he was so embarrassed when he didn’t have a problem fantasizing about it when he was alone, but somehow having the real person hovering above him had Stell feeling almost modest.

John Paulo grunted but obliged, unbuttoning his own shirt while waiting for Stell to pull off his sweater and unbutton the shirt he had on underneath.

John Paulo didn’t wait very long once the offending article of clothing was out of the way. He traced his lips across Stell's exposed chest, licking playfully around his nipples before moving down to trail kisses along his sternum. When he reached below Stell's navel, his hands moved to his pants. Stell caught his hesitation when John Paulo's fingers lingered a little too long at the button.

“I told you, you can touch me,” Stell reminded. John Paulo didn’t hesitate after that.

“You too,” he said once he had pulled Stell's pants open. He dragged at the sides to try and lower them off of his hips.

“What?” Stell asked, too dazed with running his hands along the smooth lines of John Paulo's abs to really pay much attention to anything else.

“Touch me,” John Paulo elaborated. “You can touch me too,” he mumbled the last part a little quieter than the first thanks to the bout of embarrassment that had taken over.

Stell smiled gently. He nodded his head before pinching open the button of John Paulo's dark jeans. He didn’t wait for John Paulo to wiggle off the jeans. He paused only until he could see the tent in his boxer briefs appear between the open zipper before he palmed him through the material.

“Shit,” John Paulo hissed at the touch. He hastened his pace and pulled Stell's boxer briefs off too, baring him in all his naked glory.

Stell wasn’t sure if he should have been ashamed but all he felt was a sense of pride when he saw the way John Paulo was hungrily staring at him. He followed John Paulo's lead and tugged his pants the rest of the way down his hips before jerking his underwear down too. But not before letting his hands linger on John Paulo's behind, squeezing his ass firmly between his hands. That earned him another low growl, making his eyes light up.

Stell let out a hum of delight but that turned into a moan when he felt John Paulo wrap a hand around his stiff cock before he pumped his hand around it. Slow and loose at first, but suddenly his hand tightened around the head making Stell scream out in pleasure. “Shit, shit. Sejun, keep going,” he urged.

He was overcome with a sudden sense of deja vu. The memory of Stell back in his room flooded his vision. He squeezed his eyes shut, blinking the image away. There was no use thinking of a made up memory when he had the real John Paulo Nase right in front of him. His hand felt even better than Stell imagined it would, wrapped around him like that. His thumb brushed the slit, smearing a bit of the precum around the head, making it easier for John Paulo to build a rhythm.

It felt good. Really good.

But not as good as how it felt when John Paulo loosened his grip on Stell's embarrassingly leaky cock only to take Stell's hand and place it on top of himself. Stell didn’t have the chance to ask what he was doing before John Paulo had slid his own hardness between Stell's palm.

John Paulo's hand definitely felt good, but his hard cock sliding alongside Stell's felt so much better. Stell was mesmerized by the way the heads looked against one another; his a flushed pink and John Paulo's a darker red.

The contrast between the roughness of John Paulo's palm against Stell's hand, guiding his hand along their entwined cocks, along with the way John Paulo felt against him had Stell keening into his own hand. “Sejun, I don’t think I’m going to last very long,” he admitted. It was embarrassing but it was the truth and Stell didn’t want to come without any warning.

Luckily for him, John Paulo didn’t seem to have much left in him either. He sped up the pace he had set, enough to make Stell squeeze his eyes shut and savour the feeling of immense pleasure, amplified by John Paulo's own cock still thrusting against his.

He felt precum slip down his length and spread over his stomach obscenely. He wasn’t even sure whose it was anymore but frankly, he didn’t care. John Paulo's hand stuttered a little to accommodate around the wetness. But it wasn’t long before he was coming, panting a couple moans right into Stell's ear as he did.

“So good, Stell, you feel so good,” he muttered, continuing to move his hand against their flushed cocks. Stell wasn’t sure whether he was more turned on by the touch or by the words. It didn’t even matter because he was spilling over himself alongside John Paulo.

He loved the way John Paulo still had his hand holding Stell's in place over their now spent cocks. He loved the way the other man buried his head into Stell's neck and inhaled a deep breath, tongue darting out to lick and suck at his slightly sweaty skin. He loved how good he felt, and it was just from a goddamn handjob.

He had been right. The real John Paulo was so much better than the one from his imagination. He never thought getting jerked off by him would make Stell feel so satisfied, but he was. He sighed against the touch, running his clean hand through John Paulo's fluffy hair. Eventually, John Paulo shifted so he could roll off Stell.

They lay against the carpet for a while, breathing in and out, deeply. Stell's lips twitched up into a smile. He couldn’t believe how happy John Paulo made him.

“Sejun,” Stell whispered breaking the silence between them. He turned to press a soft kiss into John Paulo's bare shoulders.

“Hnngh,” he grunted in response.

“I’m tired. Carry me, please?” he asked.

“No way,” he shook his head. Stell pouted in response. John Paulo squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from Stell's widened brown irises.

“Please?” He pressed another kiss to his shoulder. “Please?” He kissed a little closer to the inside of his chest, on his clavicle. “Come on?” He kissed the base of his throat. “Please?” Stell continued repeating the words, placing a new kiss along John Paulo's body every time.

“Fine,” he groaned eventually, rolling over to his side before propping himself up on one knee. Stell reached his arms out instinctively and John Paulo scooped Stell up before pushing himself up off the ground. Stell wrapped his arms tight around John Paulo's neck and rested his face comfortably in his shoulder.

“Yay~” Stell cried happily once he was in John Paulo's arms. “You’re not going to make me sleep on the floor with extra mattress tonight, are you?” Stell frowned when John Paulo kicked the door to his bedroom open. “Because I let you touch my dick and I think that more than qualifies me being able to sleep in your bed tonight,” he continued.

“What the fuck, Stell?” John Paulo screamed, embarrassed and red-faced. But he didn’t protest. He dropped Stell on the bed before turning around, much to Stell's frustration.

“Oh, no. Where do you think you’re going? I meant I want to sleep on the bed with you.” He sat up with a new energy he didn’t even know he had left.

“Relax, I’m going to go the bathroom. It’ll be harder to scrub off in the morning if you don’t get some of it off now,” he gestured vaguely to Stell's naked front.

Stell's face lit up, but he didn’t say anything else. He watched John Paulo leave briefly, then come back only a few moments later with a wet towel as well as a dry one. He tossed the dry one across Stell's face, which earned him a smack to the arm and a withering look. But Stell's expression was fleeting when the next moment he felt John Paulo lean across the bed and carefully wipe Stell's still-sensitive cock before moving to clean up his stomach.

The touch was gentle and the action even more so. It had Stell at a loss for words, but John Paulo didn’t even bat an eye. He moved the then dirty, wet towel aside before using the dry one to soak up any water left on Stell's skin.

He left the room again to get rid of the dirty towels. When he came back, he dug through his drawers and pulled on a clean pair of boxers before throwing a spare one to Stell. When Stell didn’t budge however, he picked the article off his bed, and gently nudged Stell's legs until he let John Paulo slip the boxers on him.

“Lift up a little,” he asked, sliding the material up, over Stell's ass.

“Sejun~,” Stell sighed against the touch. “Thank you,” he whispered, rolling over to let John Paulo crawl into the empty space when he was done.

John Paulo's bed wasn’t large by any means but it was comfortable. Stell had never slept so well as he had, cuddling against the man next to him, basking in his smell, which was now mixed with sex and sweat. Stell didn’t mind the addition at all. In fact, it made him dig his face deeper into John Paulo's chest, to wrap his legs tighter against him and to drape his arm around John Paulo's waist.

He almost feared that he was hogging all of John Paulo's personal space, until he felt the other man reach up to trace patterns on Stell's bare hip with one hand before placing the other firmly on his back.

“Goodnight Sejun,” he mumbled happily.

“Goodnight Stell,” John Paulo replied back. The smile in his voice made Stell want to roll around in glee. But he consented to squeezing John Paulo tighter within his grasp, a happy smile in place, as he fell asleep with the knowledge that John Paulo wanted him there just as much as Stell wanted to be there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another.. NC-17 or R-18 my Stelljun friends!! How was it???
> 
> I wish to have a dreamy homey date with Sejun or Stell, but if that won't work.. just them both dating would be absolutely fine~ ^_<
> 
> Also, let me apologize that I always put Lion King on my fics haha In my defense that's not my favorite movie. It's just adorable to imagine two grown men watching something cute?


	10. Coffee Prince Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

When Stell woke up the next morning, feeling happy and comfortable, he was met with the sight of a steadily sleeping John Paulo next to him. Stell blinked his eyes a few times, adjusting to the brightness that made its way into the room through light grey curtains, before smiling at the sight next to him.

He tilted his head to get a better angle, and his smile immediately widened.

John Paulo was lying on his back, left leg spread out across the bed, while his right was still tangled between Stell's own legs and the blankets that they had managed to twist around themselves in their sleep. He had his right arm under Stell's neck, which was impressive because Stell was sure that if that was him, his arm would have been dead by then, and his left arm was placed firmly on Stell's hip.

The grip wasn't tight but it was strong enough to be considered more than just a fleeting touch. 

His eyes trailed across John Paulo's bare chest, littered with the marks Stell had left on him last night, which rose steadily as he breathed in and out. Stell was suddenly grateful that he had woken up before John Paulo had. He wasn't sure when he would get another chance to stare so unabashedly, so unreservedly at the man sleeping next to him. 

He smiled, bringing his right hand up to lightly trace nonsense patterns across John Paulo's pecs. He paused when he felt the man rustle a bit but he just tightened the grip he had on Stell's hip before seemingly falling back into a state of deep sleep. 

The room was warm and John Paulo is even warmer. The quiet chirping of birds outside made the scene almost picturesque and Stell had to do everything in his power from rolling around and squeezing John Paulo tight between his arms.

Stell had never seen John Paulo from this angle so he took the opportunity to drink in the sight of him. His short, dark hair that flopped across his head, sticking out slightly at the top from the way he was sleeping. His fair skin that was so smooth and even that made Stell want to touch every exposed bit. The sharp lines of his jaws, the way his chin was starting to sport some stubble on his otherwise unmarked face.

He was all strong lines, sinewy, rugged, and so very handsome. 

Stell boldly traced his hands higher, until they reached John Paulo's jaw. He touched the growing stubble there, shivering against the way the rough hair felt along his fingertips. He continued upwards, slowly tracing over John Paulo's closed eyelids that fluttered lightly at the touch, before dragging his hands down across John Paulo's cheek.

He stirred again, but thankfully, he didn't wake. 

After a while of getting lost in John Paulo's steady heartbeat and his stunning features, Stell gently pried himself away from the man. He carefully removed John Paulo"s hand from his hip and untangled their entwined legs. He adjusted the blankets so they were covering John Paulo's legs properly, in the chance that he was cold.

Stell tried to be as subtle as possible but John Paulo must have been a deep sleeper because he didn't wake, even when Stell's weight lifting off the bed caused a sudden rise in the mattress. 

Or maybe he was just really tired.

Stell had woken him up early the previous day and they hadn't gone to bed till past midnight, which wasn't all that late. But considering John Paulo had spent the entire day studying, then at the gym, Stell could understand the exhaustion he had probably been feeling. 

Stell hesitated by the drawers, wondering if he should pull out a shirt or something but he didn't want to push his luck. So far, John Paulo hadn't woken but he'd hate for the other man to do so now on his account. He ditched the idea of wearing more clothes, settling on going outside in his borrowed boxers alone. 

The hallway was cold, considerably so when compared to the heat that John Pauli's body gave off. Stell shivered against the new feeling, regretting not taking at least a t-shirt to put on when he had the chance.

He gingerly picked up his clothes from the previous night, contemplating putting them back on, but his body still felt sticky and he didn't exactly want to dress himself. So, he settled on pulling the throw blanket draped across the couch over himself instead. 

He knew he looked a little silly, all wrapped up in the blue-grey wool blanket. It had tiny tassels around the edges that dangled next to Stell's legs. But the blanket was soft and warm, large enough to cover his body, and that was all that he needed for the time being.

He pulled it around his shoulders and hummed at the softness, nuzzling his face into the wool for a few happy seconds. The feeling of contentment didn't last long however, once Stell took in the state of the living room.

He felt guilty, considering he had been the one to initiate something more, so he bent down to pick up the thrown clothes and place them on the couch. He busied himself with cleaning the empty or half-eaten boxes of takeout. He was sorting what was still good into tupperware he found in John Paulo's kitchen cabinets, and placing the leftover food in the fridge. He pushed the coffee table back on the rug where it belonged and collected the empty beer bottles before tossing those out too. 

Stell was glad he had only had two drink over a span of a few hours. Any more and he would have been feeling way less in control last night and far less chipper this morning. 

He was just in the middle of folding their clothes into a neat pile, even though he knew he would just throw his in the wash when he got home, when John Paulo walked out.

Stell looked up from his task at the sound of the bedroom door opening followed by soft footsteps, only to see John Paulo's yawning face come into view. He was still in his boxers from last night but he had donned a t-shirt as well before coming out.

Suddenly, Stell was grateful he had the throw blanket wrapped around himself. 

John Paulo looked sleepy still, but he smiled when he saw Stell. “What are you doing?” he asked amusedly, eyes flitting between the half-folded pile of clothes on the couch to Stell who was hovering over them.

“Cleaning. It was so messy in here. I felt bad for being the one to cause it,” Stell explained. The living room looked much better than it had when he first woke up.

“You didn't have to do that. Besides, it wasn't all your doing.” John Paulo moved towards Stell, wrapping his hands around Stell's waist to pull him in closer. Stell yelped at the sudden tug and blushed that such a sound even came out of his mouth. 

John Paulo didn't seem displeased though. He smiled, halfway between a smirk, and placed his head on Stell's shoulder. “Why'd you have to wake up so early? It's not even 8 am yet,” he sighed, voice muffled by the blanket. “And why are you wearing this?” he laughed, pulling away to get a better look at Stell's choice of outfit.

He wolf whistled jokingly, and Stell felt his face heat up. It wasn’t like John Paulo could actually see anything but the action still made him blush. John Paulo gently tugged at the blanket and it slipped a little, exposing Stell's right shoulder. 

“I'm just programmed this way waking up early,” Stell grinned through his embarrassment. “As for this,” he shook his body a little, letting the tassels on the throw blanket tap against his legs. “I was cold and I didn't want to wake you up by searching through your clothes.”

“Hmm, I know a better way to warm up,” John Paulo mumbled, not quite letting go.

“Yeah?” Stell asked breathily.

“Yeah,” John Paulo confirmed. “Let's take a shower,” he said, running his palms over Stell's covered arms. The action caused static to build up in the blanket and Stell felt a little shock run through him, that wasn’t entirely due to the friction.

Stell pulled back to look at him. “Right now? You mean together?”

John Paulo chuckled at the question. “Yes, to both.” When Stell didn't answer right away however, his face shifted uncertainly. “I mean, you don't have to–“

“No,” Stell cut him off. “I do,” he smiled. “I just didn't know you wanted to,” he admitted, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and chewing on it self-consciously.

John Paulo served him a deadpan look. “Why are you being shy now? Shit, don't worry me like that.” The last part was muttered under his breath but Stell was standing so close to him that he heard it all. What Stell could have worried him for was a mystery, but the statement made him feel happy all the same. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Stell apologized sheepishly. “Let's go shower,” he placated, dropping the blanket to pool around his feet.

He grinned when he saw John Paulo's eyes rake across his almost naked body. His grin only widened when he felt a stiffness press up against his thigh, knowing that John Paulo appreciated the sight even if he wasn’t vocal about it. 

Stell didn't get a chance to make a teasing remark about John Paulo's state, however. John Paulo had pulled himself off Stell, turned around, grabbed his wrist, and marched them straight towards the bathroom without another word. 

John Paulo was surprisingly gentle for someone who was so reserved and had such a deep, taciturn expressions. It was a nice contrast and Stell liked it, even if it was unexpected. Although after how kind John Paulo had been last night, Stell supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised by John Paulo's tenderness.

He had carefully soaped up Stell's body, massaged his scalp, gently washed his hair, and cleaned off any remains of their night from his stomach. He may have also paid a little too much attention than was necessary to his dick, but Stell couldn’t complain when he came away very clean.

The touch was light but it left Stell feeling like he had been gripped tightly by the other man all the same. 

He loved the tingling feeling John Paulo's hands left all over him. 

He also loved looking at John Paulo's chest and seeing the purple marks he'd left there, knowing he had some matching ones too. He couldn’t help but pay extra attention to those when it was his turn to clean off John Paulo, pressing down against them purposely, only to have John Paulo glare at him half-heartedly in response.

When they were done, which took considerably longer than it should have thanks to John Paulo's morning wood. Not that Stell minded at all. They dried off and headed towards the kitchen. 

John Paulo had let Stell borrow another pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. The sweatpants hung low on his hips so that the length was right.

“I'm going to end up stealing all your clothes at this rate,” Stell joked after he had pulled on the clean sweatpants and t-shirt. “I still have the ones you let me borrow yesterday. Plus, I have your jacket.”

“That's fine,” John Paulo waved off, moving towards the fridge to take out whatever ingredients he could find. It wasn't exactly full but it wasn't necessarily bare either. Although he realized he should probably stock up again soon, there was enough to make an omelette rice at least. He sorted through the cupboards until he found the rice cooker, turning it on and putting in half a cup of rice and enough water to cook.

“I'll bring them back after I wash them,” Stell promised. “And the jacket can stay here today since it's warm out,” he added. 

“Keep it,” John Paulo muttered, busying himself with chopping sausages for the omelette rice.

“I can't do that! It looks expensive,” Stell mumbled embarrassedly.

John Paulo paused, putting the knife down before turning around to look at Stell squarely. “You look good in it,” he shrugged, moving back to his task like he hadn't just made such a sincere comment. If it wasn't for the fact that Stell could see that the tips of John Paulo's ears had turned red, he might have thought that the words hadn't come out of his mouth at all. 

Stell nodded, mumbling a quiet “Okay.”

He hovered around John Paulo, watching him cook for a little while, trying his best not to distract John Paulo because he was holding a knife and Stell didn’t want him to accidently cut himself, until the other man ordered Stell to go set the table.

“Sejun, there's no coffee in your apartment,” Stell complained once they had sat down at the small table to eat. He scooped out a bowl of fried rice for John Paulo before filling one up for himself too, while John Paulo divided up the omelette between them.

“Yes there is,” John Paulo laughed. 

“You know full well that instant coffee is not coffee,” Stell wrinkled his nose in distaste.

John Paulo shook his head at the display but didn’t comment, instead busying himself with eating his breakfast.

“Lets go to the store after this,” Stell suggested. 

“Don't you have homework or something? Or do you just live and breathe that store?” John Paulo asked, raising his eyebrows. Stell couldn’t help but blush at the comment. For someone that he had gone out on only two dates with, one of which he wasn’t even sure was a date until a week later, Stell had sure spent a lot of time with John Paulo already.

He was suddenly aware that maybe John Paulo didn’t want to spend so much time with him, and that he was avoiding answering the question in an attempt to brush it off.

“I'm a good student! Very on top of things!” he huffed, mildly offended by the accusation. “I mostly have essays and plans to write, long-term stuff rather than all your weekly assignments, quizzes, and labs,” Stell answered seriously. “At least until midterms and finals roll around.”

“Huh, maybe I should have gone into business management too,” John Paulo teased. 

“Are you saying my major is easy?” Stell narrowed his eyes dangerously. “You're so horrible,” he wailed when John Paulo shrugged nonchalantly, neither confirming nor denying Stell's accusation. Stel dropped his utensils on the table with a clatter and pushed his chair back to stand up abruptly. 

“Where are you going?” John Paulo asked suddenly. 

“Home,” Stell responded angrily. 

“Why?” 

“Because Sejun thinks I'm stupid. Sorry we can’t all be engineers,” he muttered angrily. Stell knew he was overreacting but the idea that John Paulo didn’t want him to stay had worked him up a little. He was overthinking things, letting the doubt in his mind take over the rational side, and while he understood this, he couldn’t stop himself from doing something brash.

“I never said that. Hey, Stell come on, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been a dick about what you're studying,” John Paulo apologized standing up as well. He reached out and held on to Stell's hand – not so tightly that Stell couldn't break away from it if he wanted to, but firm enough to show that he didn't want Stell to leave.

“I don't think you're stupid,” he added sincerely. And just like that, the doubt had been washed away and replaced with a calm reassurance.

“Make it up to me,” Stell insisted. 

“Sure,” John Paulo agreed easily. “Tell me how and I will,” he promised earnestly. Stell almost felt guilty at the look of distress on John Paulo's face but he couldn’t let an opportunity like that go to waste. 

“Buy better coffee,” he grinned. 

John Paulo blinked up at him for a few seconds before he groaned and released his grip on Stell's hand, only to bury his head in his palms. “You're fucking nuts,” he said into his hands after a while, but Stell could hear him smiling through the statement. 

“You still like me,” Stell said matter-of-factly. 

He had mostly been joking but he would have been lying if he said his heart didn't speed up at the sincere “Yeah, I do,” John Paulo uttered in response. 

Stell grinned before sitting back down to finish his breakfast. He felt John Paulo's legs tangle between Stell's own, locking their limbs together. He wasn't sure if it was to prevent Stell from getting up so abruptly again or because he just wanted the touch. Either way, it improved his mood and the rest of breakfast went by without a hitch. 

When they were done, John Paulo washed the dishes while Stell begged him to go to Coffee Prince with him. He pleaded, placing his chin on John Paulo's shoulder and pressing soft kisses to the back of his neck until John Paulo begrudgingly agreed. Although he didn’t look as annoyed with the idea, as his tone of voice seemed to imply.

Stell promised that he'd get him something he liked this time and that he’d make sure it wasn’t anything sweet since John Paulo seemed to have an aversion to the flavour. 

They stopped at Stell's apartment on their way to the store so that Stell could change into something that wasn’t an ill-fitting shirt and sweatpants. He liked John Paulo's clothes, and they smelled really nice, but that didn’t mean he would wear them outside.

At least, not the at-home ones that he had been donning in his apartment. John Paulo didn’t seem to mind though. He waited patiently on Stell's couch, surfing channels on the tv, while Stell changed into a pair of white jeans, and a navy and white striped long-sleeved shirt.

\---

“Stell, what the hell. You haven't answered any of my messages for two days,” Justin shrieked when he saw Stell enter Coffee Prince. 

The regular customers near the front looked up at the shout but otherwise ignored it, moving back to their own conversations. Stell had a feeling that people who visited the store often were starting to get used to the loudness of the employees.

But whether that was a problem he should have been concerned with was forgotten when he saw Justin's pissed expression. He knew he would have to face Justin eventually, but after storming out of his apartment rather rudely on Friday night, Stell had been avoiding his friend.

“I'm sorry,” he squeaked in apology, crouching behind John Paulo. “Please don’t hurt me.” He shamelessly used the other man as a shield. John Paulo scoffed at the display, but didn’t push Stell out from behind him.

“You'll be lucky if that's the only thing I do. Stop hiding behind Sejun and face me,” he raged, before seemingly turning his anger towards John Paulo instead. “And you,” he pointed his index finger at John Paulo. “Why are you guys in here together? So early in the morning?” Justin asked suspiciously. 

“They were here together yesterday morning too!” JP yelled unhelpfully from the front. 

“JP, you traitor!” Stell whined, feeling completely betrayed. 

John Paulo gulped at having been addressed so suddenly. “Ken knew..” 

Justin paused. “What?” 

“I told Ken I was with Stell yesterday morning and last night,” he supplied. Justin's anger seemed to have only increased with that. But at least his attention was off of them. He turned away to pace the front, muttering something about ‘stupid boyfriends.’

Stell moved John Paulo aside while Justin was busy. “That was so savage throwing Ken under the bus like that. But I’m sure glad that Justin isn't directing his anger at us anymore, haha” he said as he quietly steer John Paulo to the opposite end of the store.

“Your friends are interesting,” John Paulo chuckled. 

“They're sometimes a little too much to handle,” Stell apologized sheepishly. John Paulo didn't seem genuinely concerned, however. “I promise they’re not always as crazy as this.” he wasn’t sure why he was apologizing or even trying to defend them, but he wanted John Paulo to like them just as much as he did.

And he wanted them to like John Paulo as well.

“Relax, Stell. I like them,” he stated, making Stell frown. He didn’t like the way John Paulo was able to read him so well, especially after only knowing him for less than two weeks, but the thought was soon forgotten.

“Good morning Sir Stell,” Yuuki greeted when Stell approached him queue. “And uhm, I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are,” he apologized, addressing John Paulo.

“That’s fine,” John Paulo stated, lifting his hands up to wave the matter off with his unintentional straight face. The action made Yuuki yelp and step back. He looked confusedly between the jittery barista and Stell who was doubled over in laughter, one hand clutched around his stomach while his other supported his weight against the counter.

“What the fuck, Stell, quit laughing,” he growled in embarrassment, making Yuuki nervous again. “Sorry, sorry,” he apologized addressing the young barista who was staring at John Paulo, honestly a little frightful.

Stell wasn’t sure why but the apology made him laugh harder. He could feel tears threatening to slip out. He managed to compose himself, if only because John Paulo looked like he really was starting to get angry, and that was the last thing Stell wanted to make the other man feel.

Or maybe he was just embarrassed.

Stell couldn’t really tell when his face was pulled down into a severe frown, eyebrows scrunched together furiously. His jaw was set squarely and he was glaring at Stell, eyes turning a darker shade.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Stell said, standing up straight. He moved forward to brush his thumbs along the length of John Paulo's eyebrows until the man stopped furrowing them. “You’ll get wrinkles on your handsome face,” he smiled, making John Paulo push his hands away quickly in embarrassment.

Yuuki on the other side of the register, red-faced internally screaming (my eyes!!). “Uhm w– what can I g– get you?” he asked, avoiding eye contact with either of them.

“Two medium Americanos,” Stell beamed. “Oh, do you think you can brew it using the new Ethiopian beans we got the other day?” he smiled.

“Uhm,” Yuuki hesitated. Stell forgot that he was still in training. “I don’t want to ruin them, but I can ask Sir Justin to help,” she offered.

“No, no that’s fine. I’ll test them out myself tomorrow. Use whatever we have brewing right now then,” he decided, flashing Yuuki a reassuring smile. He returned it shyly before turning around to prepare their orders. When he came back, Stell noticed his hands were a little shaky but at least the cups were dry, which he concluded was progress.

“Thanks, Yuuki! Great job!” He paid for their orders and grabbed the cups off the counter, slipping two sleeves around them in the process.

He handed one to John Paulo, who accepted the drink and followed behind Stell as he led them to an open, rounded table near the window. “Don’t burn your tongue,” John Paulo chided when Stell immediately opened the lid to take a sip.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m used to it,” he grinned before bringing his cup up to his mouth to drink more of the burning liquid.

John Paulo watched him hesitantly but seemingly decided that Stell wasn’t in any danger, even if he was a little crazy for being able to drink such scalding liquids.

“Don’t look so tense. The cream cools it down,” he smiled reassuringly.

“When did you even put cream in it?” John Paulo frowned.

“I didn’t – Yuuki knows what I like,” he beamed proudly.

“You gave me shit for drinking instant coffee and here you are, ruining perfectly good brew with your cream,” John Paulo laughed.

“I didn’t ruin it with my cream and caramel shot,” Stell huffed.

“Caramel– you know what, never mind,” John Paulo chuckled, shaking his head lightly. Stell puffed his cheeks out childishly, that only made John Paulo laugh harder. When Stell caught sight of his deep dimples, he couldn’t help but let his face melt to match the smile on John Paulo's.

Stell watched him blow on his own drink before setting it aside to cool. He took the chance to slide his foot between John Paulo's calves and rubbed against them slightly. He was rewarded by a pink blush on John Paulo's face, even though man had done the very same thing only about an hour ago back in his apartment.

“Does he not like me?” John Paulo asked, trying to ignore the feeling of Stell's legs against his. He jerked his head in Yuuki's direction.

Stell shook his head. “He’s just shy,” he explained. “And probably a little intimidated. You’re scary when you frown,” Stell grinned, basking in the way John Paulo's face flushed again.

“Ah well tell him I’m sorry when you talk to him. He seems to like you at least.” He pointedly ignored the comment about his frown.

“Jealous?” Stell asked teasingly.

“Nope,” John Paulo shook his head.

Stell's face fell slightly. “Aww no fair, you answered that so quickly,” he pouted.

“Why would I be jealous when I know I can do this?” he asked, leaning in to peck Stell's lips lightly, pulling away before anyone could see.

It was a simple gesture but it made Stell flush all the same. He spluttered, pushing John Paulo's face away from his. He had done the exact same thing to John Paulo yesterday so he wasn’t sure why he was embarrassed. But when John Paulo took him aback like that he suddenly turned humble. Something about the unexpected, especially when it came to John Paulo made him lose his composure.

“Sejun, I can’t tell if you’re being sincere or trying to get back at me somehow. Is this because I made you promise to get rid of your instant coffee? Or is it because I made you come to the store with me?” he asked suspiciously.

John Paulo rolled his eyes. “Just accept the compliment, you silly.” He flicked Stell's forehead lightly before standing up, sliding his coffee cup towards him.

“Where are you going?” Stell frowned. All he had asked John Paulo to do was go to Coffee Prince with him, so it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise when John Paulo stood up to leave. Still, Stell's heart plummeted a little with disappointment at the sight.

“Library. I’m meeting up with Ken to review for our exams tomorrow. Then finish preparing for our presentation,” he explained. “Sorry, I know it’s a Sunday but I’ve got to study,” he apologized.

“Study here,” Stell insisted. “I won’t bother you, I have a shift this afternoon, so I’ll be out of your way. I’ll even give you free coffee,” Stell bargained, flashing a wide grin.

John Paulo raised his eyebrows before shaking his head in denial. “I can’t,” he said apologetically. Stell's grin fell off his face at the gesture, but was replaced by a blush following John Paulo's explanation. “I’d just keep looking at you,” he added quietly.

The only evidence that the words really had even come out of his mouth was the way the tips of John Paulo's ears had turned red.

“I guess you really do like me,” Stell chuffed.

“Of course I do,” John Paulo rolled his eyes. “But I do have to go. I’m sorry.”

Stell pouted but he didn’t fight his selfish wants. “Okay, you should text me when you’re free,” he suggested. “And don’t forget to tell me what you thought of the coffee this time!” he reminded.

John Paulo's lips quirked up in a smile. “You don’t have to wait for me to not be busy to text me, you know. I don’t mind,” he added.

Stell looked up hesitantly. He had already been afraid that he was becoming overbearing but hearing John Paulo tell him that he didn’t mind getting messages from Stell even when he was busy studying made Stell's stomach roll in delight.

“Really? I won’t be bothering you?” he asked, despite himself. He needed to make sure though that this was what John Paulo wanted as much as Stell's did.

“I told you that you could, didn’t I?” John Paulo repeated. He was still sporting that amused smile and it made Stell feel self-conscious because of how easy and sincere it looked on his face.

“Yeah, okay,” Stell nodded in agreement. “Good luck with all your schoolwork, Sejun,” he smiled charmingly. He lifted his hand to wave goodbye but John Paulo swooped down to hold it in his before using it as leverage to bring Stell's face close. His kiss this time was languid and slow, nothing like the peck earlier, and Stell felt his face heat up embarrassedly when John Paulo pulled away.

“What was that for?” Stell stuttered.

“I’ll see you later, Stell,” John Paulo smiled. He turned away from the table, then paused and turned back around. “Oh yeah, we’re going to the gym this evening, if you want to come.”

“Who’s ‘we’?” Stell asked disgruntled.

“Just Ken and I,” he chuckled.

Stell wrinkled his nose in thought, then shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe,” he answered, but both Stell and John Paulo seemed to know that the answer was ‘no.’

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go to the gym with John Paulo… he just didn’t want to go with him and Ken considering they would definitely outdo whoever and Stell wasn’t ready to be embarrassed like that.

Besides, Stell would more than likely focus on John Paulo rather than his own workout if he went with him, and that would just be a waste of time, even if it gave him ample opportunity to gaze at John Paulo's body.

John Paulo shrugged at Stell'z response, and smiled one last time at him before taking his leave. Stell sighed, sipping his coffee contently for a few moments until he decided to make his way up to the front.

“Justin, your boyfriend’s a meanie,” he stated.

“And why’s that?” Justin asked, amusement written all over his face.

“He’s stealing Sejun from me,” he complained.

“Hmm, maybe that’s a good thing,” Justin shrugged, biting his lip at the way Stell's jaw dropped open at the statement. “Maybe if he does, then you’ll actually start talking to me again,” he continued.

“I’m sorry,” Stell apologized guiltily. “I promise I’ll respond to your messages no matter how busy or distracted I am from now on,” he promised.

“Even during sex?” Justin laughed.

“Don’t push it; you’re not that special,” Stell glared.

“I was just joking, you big baby.” Justin pinched Stell's left cheek making him whine out in frustration. “But speaking of, two days in a row you walked in with John Paulo in the morning, huh? Spill,” he threatened.

“Fine, fine, I’ll tell you,” he whined. Justin rolled his eyes at Stell's exaggeration. He may not have told anyone what happened yet but the truth was, he really was dying to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how are the chapters so far for you? ^_^  
> thank you for reading
> 
> I long for a SB19 interview wherein Sejun's busy in teliing his gym routine. Don't you think that'll be hot? :3


	11. Coffee Prince Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: THIS CHAPTER IS N-17 and/or R-18 !!!
> 
> I'm curious who do you think is the dominant on this pair? Let me know :)

Stell was sitting on the couch, cross-legged, with his laptop balanced on top of his thighs and his headphones placed firmly around his ears when Josh came home that evening. Upon hearing the familiar noise of a key in the lock, and a shuffling in his peripheral vision, Stell put the laptop aside and removed his glasses, blinking away the tiredness that staring at a computer screen for so long brought.

He only needed them for when he was reading on his computer, or staring at his phone for long periods of time, and his eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the change. He didn’t particularly like wearing them, but in order to avoid worsening his vision, he did his best to remember them when he needed them the most.

“I made dinner,” Stell called, pulling his headphones off and placing them on the couch, next to his glasses, before stretching his legs out to relieve some of the stiffness that came with sitting cross-legged for so long. He heard his joints crack and a slight ache jolt through his right knee, but the feeling was fleeting and the momentary panic on Stell's face was gone before he even registered it as anything to worry about.

“Not busy?” Josh asked in surprise, placing his shoes on the mat neatly before dropping his bag on the ground and shedding his black windbreaker.

“Okay, fine, I warmed up dinner. Picked up some of those pre-packaged meals from a store, and there’s some leftover in the kitchen for you if you want,” Stell corrected.

“Ah, that sounds more like you,” Josh laughed. “I’ll eat in a bit, thanks.” He moved towards Stell and plopped down next to him, leaning his head back against the soft, dark grey couch. He closed his eyes tiredly, leaning all of his weight on the headrest behind him, humming contently as his head hit the plush material.

“Did you go to the gym?” Stell asked. Josh smelled like he had just showered, but his face was still glowing and he looked exhausted, the way he only did after a workout.

“Yeah,” Josh agreed. “Oh speaking of! I finally met your guy today. Thanks for the introduction by the way,” he teased.

That snapped Stell's attention. He turned his head to Josh with raised eyebrows before realizing that there was really only one place he could have met John Paulo. “You ran into him at the gym?”

He wasn’t sure why, but knowing that Josh met John Paulo without Stell there made him a little nervous, if only because Josh had a tendency to be a bit extreme.

“Hmm,” Josh mumbled in consent. “Actually, more like I was invited to the gym and that’s where I met him,” he explained. “He’s a nice guy – surprisingly gentle for someone who can bench almost 300 pounds.” He cracked open an eye and laughed at the look of shock on Stell's face. “I know, I was impressed too. He made it look so easy, holy shit,” Josh recalled remarkably.

“Is that why you’re so tired?” Stell smirked. “You felt the need to compete with him, didn’t you?” he asked knowingly.

“Shut up. At least I can bench more than you can. John Paulo would fucking crush you.”

“Hmm, maybe I want him to,” Stell grinned, before ducking his head away from Josh's swatting hand. “He did pick me up quite easily last night,” he mused.

“Stell, please, just remember I have all your dirty secrets about him with me. Like how you were drooling over his picture before you even spoke to him properly or how you fantasized about him jerking you off the same day you did speak to him, haha!” Josh smirked. The horrified expression on Stell's face made his grin grow wider.

“Those are secrets,” Stell hissed. “Besides, I don’t need to attempt to fantasize about how it feels to have his hand on my dick anymore.”

“Stell!!” Josh groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “I didn’t need that mental image, you asshole.” Stell watched him shake his head, face twisted in displeasure.

“Hey, you started it,” he defended. Josh opened his eyes to shoot him a threatening glare, which Stell received with a coy look.

They sat in silence for a little while, heads leant against the back of the couch and feet stretched out on the coffee table in front. It was comfortable and Stell was grateful for the break Josh's arrival had given him. Schoolwork was boring but he did tend to get lost in it for hours when he was left alone.

“You should invite him to the party the boys is throwing next weekend,” Josh suggested.

“You think? He tends to be really busy with school… I don’t know,” Stell shrugged. He had been thinking about it, but he didn’t want to push his luck. John Paulo may have insisted that Stell wasn’t bothering him, but from what Stell had seen so far, he tended to put academics before everything else.

Not that it was a bad thing, but it made Stell feel guilty for wanting to invite him out, even though the rational side of his brain knew that everyone craved a break once in a while, and John Paulo should have been no exception.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. JP's teammates always throw the best parties,” Josh reminded. “Plus, I heard Ken's coming, so if he can take a break from school then so can your man,” he grinned.

Stell frowned at the comment, face flushing at the insinuation Josh's words held. “He’s not my man,” he huffed at the suggestion. Not yet anyway, his mind supplied. “But fine, I’ll invite him,” he agreed.

“Good,” he hummed. “Maybe if I can’t compete with him at the gym I can just outdrink him,” Josh added.

“You’re so weird. Why are you even challenging him?” Stell frowned.

“I can’t just hand over my best friend to someone who isn’t worthy,” Josh said seriously, earning a blush and a dropped jaw from Stell.

“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not. Either way, don’t use yourself as a means for comparison.” Stell shoved his shoulder affectionately.

“Hey, I’m great.” Josh defended.

“Sure,” Stell chuckled. “Enjoy dinner, loser,” he greeted, bopping Josh on the head.

He picked up his laptop, his glasses, and his headphones and headed off in the direction of his room amidst Josh's half-hearted complaints. He closed the door or what was left of his door considering Josh still hadn’t fixed it. He placed his belongings on top of his dresser, before flopping down, face first, on his bed.

He contemplated not telling John Paulo about the party, but he couldn’t understand why he’d want to do that, so he picked up his phone and sent him an invite.

Stell:  
hey Sejun ( * ́꒳`*)/

Sejun ♥:  
Hey, Stell

Stell:  
JP's teammates are throwing a party next weekend wanna go ??

Sejun ♥:  
What day?

Stell:  
Saturday (*^▽^*)

Sejun ♥:  
Yeah, sure. Text me the details

Stell:  
you sure you’re not too busy ?

Sejun ♥:  
I’m good, and it sounds fun

Sejun:  
good bc Ken's coming (^_<)〜☆

Sejun ♥:  
lol was that just a set up?

Stell:  
psh I would never~~

Sejun ♥:  
Sure…

Stell:  
just fyi it’s kinda far so we’ll have to commute then take the train and don't make any important plans for Sunday !!

Sejun ♥:  
Alright lol  
Want me to give you a ride instead?

Stell:  
you're gonna drive ? nooo then you’ll have to take the train back anyway and it’s not worth it

Sejun ♥:  
I just won’t drink then

Stell:  
but it’s a party ! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Sejun ♥:  
You don’t have to drink to enjoy a party

Stell could almost see him rolling his eyes, and the thought brought a smile to his face. He nuzzled his face against his bed sheets happily before looking back up to see that he had a second text from John Paulo.

Sejun ♥:  
So do you want a ride, or not?

Stell:  
can't say no to a free ride I guess ty Sejun ( ˘ ³˘)♥

Sejun ♥:  
Yeah, no problem

Stell:  
anyway I’ll let you get back to your studying gl !

Sejun ♥:  
Thanks. I’ll talk to you later

Stell smiled at the response on his phone before setting it aside. John Paulo was a terrible texter and used no emotion. Stell could almost hear him when he read the messages. He thought that might be a little weird, but he liked the sound of John Paulo's soothing voice, so he decided to not think too much of it.

The week leading up to the party was boring and one of the longest weeks of Stell's life. He hadn’t seen John Paulo much at all because apparently his professors didn’t understand what giving their students a break was. John Paulo had exam after exam, assignment after assignment every day of the week and he was absolutely swamped.

John Paulo did however respond to Stell's supportive messages as often as he could. Even adding a smiley once in a while, which was more than enough to make Stell's face light up in glee. 

John Paulo dropped by in the mornings when Stell was working to grab a coffee before his classes started. But other than that their meetings were brief, lasting only about 5 minutes each time. It was nice to be able to see John Paulo at least, and be able to text him, but it definitely wasn’t enough.

On Friday, Stell was lucky enough to be working his usual 4 pm to 7 pm shift so John Paulo came by and picked him up from work so that they could walk home together.

“Are you sure you’re not too busy for the party tomorrow?” Stell frowned, lacing his fingers between John Paulo's absentmindedly. The other man didn’t seem to mind, he even tugged Stell closer to his side at the touch.

“Yeah, I finished most of the prep work for next week today. I have a pre-lab to do for my fluid mechanics lab on Tuesday but I figured out the assignment so the pre-lab can’t be much harder. I can do that Monday night,” he promised.

“Wow, sounds tough. How do you live like that?” Stell groaned.

“What? Buried under schoolwork? I still find time for things I like,” he shrugged, before pressing a quick kiss to Stell's cheek. “And people I like,” he whispered quietly into Stell's ear.

The sun had set by then but it wasn’t dark enough that Stell's flush wasn’t visible in the late evening light. Against the pinkish to purple background of the fading sky, it almost looked like it belonged there. The sight made John Paulo want to kiss him again, so he did.

“Sejun, you’re awfully affectionate tonight,” Stell giggled when his lips teasingly brushed his ear again.

Having John Paulo kiss him so suddenly was making it difficult to walk, but Stell couldn’t find that he cared. The walk from Coffee Prince to his apartment was too short anyway, and he wanted to be able to spend carefree moments like this in John Paulo's company. The sidewalk was empty and the soft glow of the setting sun made good mood lighting, in Stell's opinion.

“So what if I am? Can you blame me? I’ve only gotten to see you for maybe thirty minutes max this whole week,” he groaned, kissing behind Stell's ear, making him jolt from the touch. “Sensitive,” he remarked before pressing a kiss to the same spot.

“Sejun, if you keep doing that here I’m going to jump you, right now,” he warned lacking all teasing.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop,” he assured, but was met by a sullen expression. “What?”

“You’re not supposed to give in so easily,” Stell complained. “I thought you’d have a harder time resisting me,” he sighed.

John Paulo couldn’t help but stifle his laughter in his hand much to Stell's chagrin. He shook his head to dispel any misconceptions before they could develop.

“Of course it’s not easy to resist you,” he blushed. “But the faster we get home, the faster I can do everything I’ve wanted to do all fucking week,” he admitted, pushing his lips roughly against Stell's before pulling back and increasing his pace.

“Who said we were spending the night together?” Stell asked, bumping John Paulo's shoulder with his playfully.

“I… I mean – you don’t – sorry,” John Paulo mumbled sheepishly.

Stell couldn’t keep a straight face for any longer. “I’m just kidding!” he chuckled, placing a quick kiss to John Paulo's lips to appease him. “Let’s go to my place. Josh got a date night with his girl so he won’t be home. Plus it’s closer.” He tugged at John Paulo's arm when the red, brick wall lining the apartment complex came into view.

“Yeah, okay,” he agreed wholeheartedly, voice coming out rough against his throat.

Stell beamed, almost running up the stairs to the second floor with John Paulo trailing after him. He heard the other man chuckle from behind, telling him to slow down. “This is your fault, Sejun,” Stell complained. “If you hadn’t started kissing me and telling me all those nice things I wouldn’t be like this,” he huffed.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised, grinning slyly.

“Yeah?” Stell asked.

“Mmm, just you wait,” he agreed, fishing the keys from Stell's outstretched hand and digging them into the keyhole. Stell didn’t protest, especially when John Paulo ushered him inside the apartment quickly before locking the door and pinning Stell against it.

He didn’t wait much longer to drop his bag off on the ground and kick his shoes off. Stell followed suite and as soon as the items holding them back were gone, John Paulo pressed his lips against Stell's, licking at them immediately for Stell to let him in.

Not having seen John Paulo much that week and having had the chance to kiss him even less made Stell desperate to feel his mouth against his own, inside his own. He met John Paulo's aggressive tongue, pull for every teasing pull. They set a bruising pace that matched the movement of their hands that grasped and clawed at one another in an attempt to get closer.

“Sejun,” Stell said when they broke away and John Paulo busied himself kissing and sucking at Stell's neck. “Let’s not get off in the living room like last time. It made my back really sore,” he laughed nervously.

“You’re right, I’m sorry about that,” John Paulo apologized sheepishly.

For a moment, Stell didn’t think he was going to listen considering he didn’t stop his assault on Stell's neck – only pressed himself closer to Stell's body that was still flush against the front door.

But then he slid his hands down the side of Stell's stomach, past his hips till they landed on his thighs. He squeezed gently before he loosened his grip and let his fingers tap against the material of his jeans, indicating for Stell to wrap his legs around John Paulo's waist, which he did without hesitation.

John Paulo scooped him up. Stell tightened the hold his legs had around John Paulo's waist, appreciating the way the proximity let him feel just how hard John Pauli was. He wrapped his arms securely behind John Paulo's neck and grinned before sliding down a little to increase the friction, making John Paulo's step falter.

“Don’t drop me,” Stell chided, mischievous grin still in place.

“Then don’t do that without warning" John Paulo growled in response. “Which one is yours?” he asked, nodding to the hallway that was lined with four doors, two of which were bedrooms. The others led to a bathroom and a storage closet.

“Farthest one on the left.” 

John Paulo grunted in response before flinging the door open. He shut it behind them so harshly that Stell was surprised the tattered door didn’t fall off its hinges. It looked like it was at the end of its life and Josh had yet to replace it like he promised he would three weeks ago.

Still, Stell was too preoccupied with John Paulo's mouth against his neck and his hands all over his stomach, his back, squeezing his ass, to really pay much attention to the treatment of his door.

He dropped Stell onto the bed with as much finesse as he had dropped Stell onto the floor just last week. Stell couldn’t find it in himself to complain. Not when John Paulo shed his shirt and his pants before climbing on top of Stell. 

Stell's eyes roamed over the exposed skin. He lifted his hands up to trace over the muscles in his chest before moving them over his arms.

He squeezed around the biceps, earning him a pleasured moan from John Paulo, which was a good thing because Stell was certain that he would never be able to get enough of squeezing John Paulo's arms.

They were muscled and smooth and so strong. The veins that ran along them made them look even bulkier but in an appealing way – not too broad, but just the right amount of muscle that they were always slightly flexed. They fit his stature perfectly. Stell wasn’t sure how someone could have arms that nice, but he was grateful that he had been able to find out the source of such a feat.

“You’re always wearing too many clothes,” John Paulo mumbled against Stell's neck, fumbling with his grey v-neck sweater. “It’s not even cold out, why do you have to wear so many layers?” he asked in annoyance at seeing a white t-shirt underneath the sweater he had just pulled off.

“It is cold,” Stell insisted, even as he lifted his arms to let John Paulo pull his shirt off the rest of the way.

“Let me warm you up then,” he whispered against Stell's ear huskily, before taking the shell between his teeth and biting down. His tongue darted out to lick the bone as his lips moved down the length and sucked right behind his ear.

“Please,” Stell begged, lifting his hips up at the prompt, closing his eyes against the feeling of John Paulo's mouth, hot against his skin.

He couldn’t bring himself to care how desperate he sounded because with that kind of offer how could he not? He fumbled with the button of his pants before Johb Paulo had a chance to get to them, shucking them off the bed haphazardly. He heard the other man chuckle above him but he didn’t comment. Instead, John Paulo tugged at Stell's boxers until they followed his pants on the floor.

He grinned, which was the only warning Stell got before John Paulo dipped his head down to kiss just under his navel, then inside of his thighs, so close to where Stell really wanted him to touch. The feeling took Stell by surprise and he bucked up, only to be met with strong hands that gripped his hips and held him down in place.

“I told you I was going to warm you up, but you’ve got to be patient,” he murmured, planting soft kisses to the inside of Stell's thighs, then going back to suck on the skin his lips had touched, occasionally darting his tongue out to tease the skin underneath him. It was slow and sensual, and had Stell bucking up eagerly but John Paulo was hell bent on making Stell a writhing mess even before he touched Stell where he really wanted to be touched.

John Paulo bit down on Stell's inner thigh suddenly, making him cry out in a mix of pleasure and pain but he soothed the sting with his tongue, calming Stell a little.

“Sejun, hurry up,” he ordered impatiently, clutching the sheets beneath him in an attempt to ground himself.

John Paulo raised his eyebrows; he looked like he was going to argue but then he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Alright, if you say so,” before slipping his mouth over Stell's head effortlessly.

He didn’t tease like Stell thought he was going to. Instead he took Stell into his mouth as far back as he could go without gagging, tongue swirling around his entire length before he hollowed his cheeks and sucked harshly.

That was the only straightforward thing Stell got though, because as soon as John Paulo had done that, he was pulling back so that his mouth covered only the head of his cock, teasing Stell with shallow bobs and kitten licks.

The sudden warmth of John Paulo's mouth and the pressure building up in his cock had Stell rearing up impatiently, but John Paulo's grip on his hips was unfairly strong.

“Sejun, please,” Stell begged, trying and failing to buck up again in search of some friction. John Paulo's mouth was too warm, too wet, and it had Stell wanting far more.

John Paulo bobbed his head a little, humming in response before popping off. “Please what?” He wiped some of the saliva and precum covering his lips with the back of his hand. The sight was subjectively hot and Stell felt more thick beads of precum ooze out of his cock at the sight.

John Paulo's face was flushed, his breathing was a little ragged but he looked fucking delighted. “Please, move,” he whispered softly, losing himself in the sight of the man above him.

The sound of Stell begging him sincerely must have done something because he stopped his teasing and moved his mouth over Stell's cock, licking around it without wasting any more time. He traced a line with the flat of his tongue from the base to the head before sucking on the tip and taking Stell into the back of his mouth again without waiting for some kind of complaint.

John Paulo was completely in control, no matter how many times Stell tried to buck up. His pace was no longer teasing, but Stell was impatient and he wanted more. Still, John Paulo knew just how to please him, stretching the pleasure out over a longer period.

One moment he was sucking rough suction up Stell's length and the next he was loosening up, giving Stell tiny licks and kisses to the tip of his cock, making Stell feel like he was going to die from frustration before he found his release.

“Please, Sejun, don’t tease me,” Stell cried, uselessly rearing his hips up again. John Paulo nodded around him, pleased with Stell's reaction before he focused his attention on lapping around Stell's length with purpose.

“Oh god, don’t stop, I’m– I’m going to come,” Stell whispered slowly, the pleasure having finally built up. He was afraid that John Paulo was going to stop again and go back to teasing him. But instead of backing off like Stell expected him to, John Paulo just increased his pace, using his hand to replace what his mouth could not in favour of faster, harsher bobs near Stell's head.

It didn’t take long after that for Stell to reach his climax. John Paulo backed off slightly when he felt the thick, bitter liquid hit the back of his throat, but he kept his mouth otherwise open, letting Stell's thick cum coat his tongue. He swallowed what he could before moving up to lick a flat line over Stell's now sensitive cock, sucking at the tip teasingly, making the other man shiver uncontrollably under the touch.

“Sejun,” Stell cried, whining petulantly. But he didn’t protest the action.

John Paulo's grip on his hips loosened and Stell pushed himself up a little to peer at the man who was hovering above him. He was still hard, achingly so Stell reached up hesitantly to wrap his hand around John Paulo's cock.

“Let me,” Stell said when he felt John Paulo's hand wrap over his. He nodded, backing off, to let Stell take control of the pace. Unlike John Paulo, Stell didn’t have it in him to tease the man when he started panting in Stell's ear: begging him to go faster, telling him how good his hand felt around him and how maybe next time he’d like to know what his pretty, pink lips would feel like too.

He pumped his hand with vigour, wanting to make John Paulo feel as good as the other man had made him feel, and it didn’t take long until his hand was hot and wet and sticky, and John Paulo was collapsing on top of him.

He moved aside a moment later to take Stell's hand in his own, kissing the fingertips slowly. “W– what are you doing?” Stell asked hesitantly, watching the way John Paulo sucked his fingers between his lips.

“I can’t get enough of how your hands feel against everything,” he admitted, making Stell blush furiously.

“Stop, stop, I’ll get wet clothes,” Stell said embarrassedly, pulling his hand away to get off the bed. He turned around to see that John Paulo was grinning up at him, so wide and sincere that his dimples were showing. The sight made Stell's heart lurch, and he hurried out of the room before he got hard again.

“Are we taking turns?” John Paulo asked when Stell returned with the towels to clean themselves off with.

“Hmm?”

“Are you going to clean me off because I helped you last time? Or is this you being a good host?” he teased.

“Just for that, I’m not helping you,” Stell pouted, tossing the wet towel across John Paulo's abdomen. John Paulo stared at him with an amused expression for a few seconds before leaning over to grab the towel and clean himself off. It only took a few more seconds before Stell was grabbing it back from him. “Ah, give that here, and lie down,” he instructed.

John Paulo didn’t say anything but the smirk on his face was enough to make Stell blush. He tried to hide it by turning his head but John Paulo weaved his hand through the back of Stell's hair and turned his face so that he was staring into his eyes. “You’re really beautiful,” he said suddenly, making Stell's already red face heat up again.

“What was that for?” Stell shouted.

“What?” John Paulo asked innocently.

“You’re so annoying, Sejun. I’m trying to help and you’re just trying to embarrass me,” he whined, but there was a small smile playing at the edge of his lips. John Paulo thought he was beautiful. That was a compliment Stell heard often but coming from John Paulo's mouth, it was the best damn compliment he had ever received.

He tossed the dirty towels on the ground, deciding that he would pick them up tomorrow because he really didn’t want to leave John Paulo's side at the moment.

“Want clothes?” he asked, nodding his head to his dresser.

“Nah, come here,” John Paulo said moving over, patting the empty space next to him for Stell to crawl into. Stell opted to forgo clothes as well before he slid into the bed and pulled the blankets up around them. John Paulo immediately tucked an arm under Stell's head, using his fingers to card through the silky locks. It was comfortable and affectionate. It put a happy smile on Stell's face and caused his mind to drift off into sleep in a matter of seconds.

The next morning, Stell was woken up to the sound of someone calling his name. He blinked his eyes open, squinting against the light a couple of times before realizing that he was in his room and the body that had been sleeping next to him last night was gone. He wondered briefly where John Paulo was until he heard the man in question repeat his name, alerting Stell to the reason why he woke up in the first place.

“Uhm, Stell?” John Paulo called again hesitantly.

“Yeah?” Stell mumbled, voice heavy with sleep. He lifted himself a little off the bed to see what John Paulo wanted.

“I think I broke your door,” he said shakily. Stell couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of John Paulo holding his door by the handle, red-faced, embarrassed and frankly, a little scared.

“Why are you laughing?” he asked painfully, which only served to make Stell's laughter increase.

“I’m not laughing at you, I promise,” Stell managed eventually. “Josh kind of fucked up my door a few weeks ago and he never replaced it. It was due to break off the hinges soon anyway,” he explained. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t your fault.”

John Paulo let out a shaky breath. “Oh thank god, I thought I broke your door,” he sighed heavily. He placed the now unhinged door against the wall inside the room, shaking his head at the sight. “I’d ask how, but I have a feeling I don’t want to know what he did to it,” John Paulo chuckled nervously.

“Yeah, it’s best not to ask,” Stell agreed, muffling his laughter in his blankets. It was nice, he thought, seeing John Paulo in his room like that, clad in only a pair of boxers. His hair was still messy and Stell could appreciate the sight of the purple blooms that had spread across his chest.

Stell was painfully aware of how he’d like to see the sight of John Paulo like that every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been practicing on scenes.. I hope y'all don't mind and you guys are enjoying! 👀
> 
> Shameless plug: if you haven't checked my completed multichapter fic, it's Faded Memories.


	12. Coffee Prince Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: no intention in making other name's related to the boys bad. Also, I'm running out of names close to them, haha. Who could be John Paulo's friends in the coming chapters 🤔

John Paulo whistled appreciatively when Stell opened the door for him that evening. “You look good,” he addressed, smiling at Stell's appearance. Stell was wearing a blue plaid button down with a black and brown crewneck on top, a pair of slim, dark wash denim that were cuffed slightly at the bottom and dark brown chukka boots.

He beamed at the compliment, returning it with a “You do too, Sejun,” because he really did. John Paulo looked down self-consciously at his blue jeans, then at his light blue collared shirt and grey sweater before smiling hesitantly.

He rubbed the toe of his brown suede shoes against the floor nervously before Stell took his hand in his and repeated, “I mean it, you look really nice.” He pulled the hand that was holding John Paulo's. They stepped into the apartment, door still held open by Stell's left hand. “Kind of makes me not want to go and keep you here all to myself,” Stell added, making John Paulo cough slightly.

“Let’s go before you do that and we end up with no clothes at all,” John Paulo grinned, pulling Stell out of the apartment knowingly.

Stell laughed at the statement because it was true, but he didn’t protest. He locked the door behind him, since Josh had already left, and was about to ask where John Paulo's car was before he noticed that it was parked right downstairs.

His eyes went wide at the sight of it since he remembered it vaguely from John Paulo's social media pictures, but Stell hadn’t realized the extent of how nice it was.

It was one thing to see John Paulo's car in a picture where he was partially covering it with his body, and it was a completely different thing to see it in person. 

Stell knew jack shit about cars but he could still tell it looked nice. And the fact that it was a Lexus told Stell that it was also fucking expensive.

He gaped at the sleek, black car that was parked outside his apartment complex. His place was one of the nicer ones in the area: the front was decorated with small trees and flowers, a cobblestone path lead from the gates to the front of the building, and there was even a garden area at the back that was well maintained.

But even so, the car looked far too nice for the setting, and Stell couldn't help but feel a little out of place seeing it. 

“No way, that is so nice,” Stell gawked, staring openly at the vehicle. 

“Ah, my dad gave it to me,” John Paulo admitted embarrassedly. “He got a good deal at an auction because the bumper was a bit beat up and the guy wanted out of his lease early so he was willing for someone to buy it from him,” he explained.

Stepl didn't know what any of the explanation had meant but he nodded all the same, looking over the shiny exterior. He ran his hand over the roof of the car, and had to physically hold back from squealing at how smooth it felt beneath his palm.

When John Paulo opened the door for him and Stell peered inside, he almost lost it. If he thought the outside was nice, then he didn't know how to describe the interior, with its suave, black leather seats, immaculate buttons – so many that Stell didn't even know what they all did. There's a rear-view camera and Bluetooth connection. He cooed at the shininess of it all. He was almost afraid to sit in it, afraid that he might ruin it somehow.

“You must be a really good son,” Stell observed when John Paulo slipped into the driver's seat. 

“Hmm, why's that?” he asked nervously. 

“My dad would never buy me a car. Not one like this, anyway,” Stell laughed. “You’re either a perfect son or you must have the nicest dad on Earth," Stell chuckled, turning his head to look at the back as well. 

“Well, he made me work on it with him. Showed me just about every trick there was. And it didn’t look this nice on the inside when I first got it. I had to replace some of the dash buttons,” he chuckled, watching the way Stell was seemingly taken in by the grandeur of it all. 

“I mean, I’m the favourite, I think despite the arguments my older brother and younger sister put up, and still, nothing like this,” Stell sighed dreamily, closing his eyes when his head hit the soft headrest. He heard John Paulo chuckle next to him, either from his reaction or his words… or maybe both.

“Maybe it’s the perks of being a hardworking child,” John Paulo joked.

“Hmm, maybe,” Stell smiled, opening his eyes before turning his head to observe John Paulo carefully. “Are you some kind of rich-kid, Sejun?” Stell asked bluntly. 

“Uhm, no?” he answered hesitantly. Stell raised his eyebrows. “Just a car junkie,” he explained. “Seriously, I'm not,” he blushed when Stell didn't seem to believe him.

“Alright, I believe you,” he shrugged eventually, still seemingly unconvinced. “Do you have the address or do you want me to plug it in?” he asked buckling his seatbelt. 

“I've got it set up already, but thank you,” John Paulo smiled. He turned the engine on, shifted the gears and turned out of the complex and onto the road. Stell couldn’t help but stare at how relaxed John Paulo looked while driving and it was more than a little hot. John Paulo didn’t seem to notice that Stell had turned his head to speak to him just so he could gaze unabashedly at the man, which was fine by Stell. He'd take every opportunity he could get to stare at John Paulo's handsome face. 

John Paulo hummed, listening to Stell's stories while he focused on the road ahead. At one point, he moved his left hand over Stell's right and held it tightly. Stell paused at the action, before slipping his fingers between John Paulo's and continuing where he had left off. 

Stell noted that everything about John Paulo was nice and apparently his belongings didn't stray from that list either. 

They parked in a parking lot not too far down from the house they were supposed to be at. It was a bit of a walk, but that was more time Stell got to spend in John Paulo's company so he wasn't complaining. 

When they reached the house, the party was already in full swing. Stell could hear loud music mixed with the screams and yells of people happily partying it up with one another before they even entered the house. It belonged to one of JP's teammates and was supposedly a vacation home but his parents weren't around much so it was conveniently used as a party house most of the time. 

They were lucky that the neighbourhood was small and the houses were spread far apart, otherwise with the number of people and the amount of noise coming from them, Stell was sure they’d have been kicked out already. Or arrested, considering the amount of alcohol that was flying around.

“Hey, you made it!!” Josh grinned upon seeing Stell and John Paulo enter. He held up the cup he had in his left hand and pressed it towards John Paulo's chest. 

“Hey man,” John Paulo greeted. “Sorry, I can't drink tonight since I drove,” he apologized. 

“Aww, and here I was thinking I’d drag you into a drinking match with me,” Josh pouted.

“I told you not to do that,” Stell glared. “Don’t listen to what Josh says, Sejun. He’s an enabler,” Stell whispered not so quietly.

Josh rolled his eyes at his friend. “Don't be so dramatic, I know you still love me,” he insisted placing his hand across Stell's shoulder. “Here,” he handed the cup he had previously offered to John Paulo to Stell instead. Stell wrinkled his nose at the arm Josh had swung over his shoulder but accepted the drink nevertheless. 

“Thanks, I guess.” He shrugged Josh's arm off of him and looked around the house, which was way more crowded than he expected it to be. “What happened? Did someone invite the whole school or something?” he gestured towards the crowd.

“Well you know your former teammate from the dance troupe that joined the tv contest,” Josh started hesitantly, "He must have told him about the party so he went and invited everyone he knew,” Josh explained.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Where do you think these kids get off coming to another party?” Stell snapped.

“Relax, Stell,” John Paulo soothed. “If you really hate them that much then just don’t talk to them. You know tons of other people here, right?” he placated.

Stell grumbled something about that being easier said than done, but nodded before downing the drink in his hand. He couldn’t get worked up about people he didn’t like; it was a party for fuck’s sake and he had wanted to be there.

“I’m going to go get another drink,” he announced to Josh and John Paulo in the hopes that he wouldn’t have to continue this conversation and that when he got back, the topic would have changed to something more pleasing.

He didn’t wait to hear back from the other two before he weaved his way through the crowd to the drinks table and grabbed himself a beer. He didn’t know what had been in the cup Josh had given him and he probably should have asked to avoid mixing alcohol, but hearing about other dancers casually joining contests, had put Stell into a bad mood. The faster he got drunk, the faster he’d be able to forget them and actually enjoy the party.

When he got back to where he had left Josh and John Paulo, he noticed that they hadn’t moved. Grateful for that fact, he headed towards them but stopped when he heard John Paulo ask Josh, “So why does Stell hate dance competitions so much?”

John looked around hesitantly, before leaning in to say, “That’s because he was supposed to go to this certain dance contest before his, you know, injury.”

Stell froze, watching the way John Paulo's face twisted uncomfortably at the realization. He muttered an, “Oh,” but didn’t ask any more questions.

Not that he had a right to ask any questions about Stell to his friends anyway.

And who did Josh think he was telling John Paulo about it without Stell's permission? It was his story, his career, his life that was affected by it and Josh had no right to tell John Paulo something so personal, that Stell already hadn’t.

He wasn’t sure if he was angrier with the fact that he hadn’t been the one to tell John Paulo something important about his life. Even though John Paulo already knew about his injury, or if he was angrier with the fact that his friends were talking about him behind his back.

Or maybe he was angry with John Paulo for asking Josh instead of asking him. It wasn’t like Stell was going to hide it if John Paulo wanted to know. Stell had told him the story about how he fucked up his knee after all.

Stell turned his head away from the conversation, too angry to go back to them now. He slipped back into the crowd and chugged his beer down before grabbing another one and popping the cap open.

Well, this was turning out to be the worst start to a party he had ever experienced. He knew he shouldn’t have been sulking in a corner, but he couldn’t help but feel betrayed.

“Stell?” He looked up at the sound of John Paulo's voice calling his name. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to come back,” he said hesitantly. He moved towards Stell slowly, hands stuffed into the pocket of his pants.

“I heard you talking to Josh about me,” Stell replied bluntly. John Paulo had the decency to flush at the statement. “You asked him why I hated dance contests and he told you. You know, you could have just asked me. I would have told you,” he continued.

His voice didn’t display any anger, but the way his eyes flashed, turning an almost golden brown instead of its usual caramel colour was enough to get his point across.

“I’m sorry,” John Paulo apologized. “I honestly thought it was just going to be some rivalry thing, you know with teams going far back. I really didn’t think it was personal, but you’re right, I shouldn’t have done that.”

He looked upset at having hurt Stell's feelings, and it was the genuineness in his words and the concern on his face that softened Stell's mood a little.

“Next time, don’t ask my friends things you want to know about me,” he stated. He backed off the wall and moved closer to John Paulo before asking, “Wanna dance?”

John Paulo looked taken aback by the sudden change in Stell's mood but he was grateful for the improvement and so he nodded quickly, taking Stell's hand in his own before bringing him to the makeshift dance floor. Really, it was just the living room with the furniture pushed to the edges so the hardwood flooring underneath was exposed.

It was crowded and tight, but it gave John Paulo a reason to put his hands on Stell's hips and bring him in close without earning unwanted attention. Stell didn’t seem to mind the proximity either, bringing his face close to John Paulo at every opportunity and rolling his hips slowly against John Paulo's in time with the music.

Stell placed his hands around John Paulo's neck, but slowly started to drift them down the expanse of his muscled back.

He was surprised by how easy it had been to convince John Paulo to dance with him. He had honestly expected the other man to say ‘no’ considering he didn’t look like he’d want to dance, but maybe something about the pissed off look on Stell's face had made him vulnerable.

Stell should have felt guilty about this fact, but he didn’t considering he was too busy enjoying the way he could casually feel up John Paulo in public. When his hands lingered too close to John Paulo's ass though, Stell felt him shift a little, sliding Stell's hands higher up his back, face displaying a slightly blush.

“Boo, you’re no fun,” Stell pouted. John Paulo chuckled before he leaned in and kissed the sulky expression off of his face. Stell grinned before bringing his mouth back to John Paulo's for a slower, longer kiss, which John Paulo was happy to return, even if he pulled back, embarrassed, at a random ‘get some room!’ thrown in their direction.

Stell looked happy though, and the smile on his face lifted John Paulo's mood as well.

“Sejun, I want another drink,” Stell exclaimed suddenly, moving away from John Paulo and heading back towards the drink tables.

Some people had put up jello shots by then and Stell's face brightened excitedly at the thought. “Oh, these are my favourite,” he smiled, pointing the shots out to John Paulo.

“Why am I not surprised?” John Paulo laughed. “Just don’t go overboard, you’ve still got the rest of the night.” He ruffled Stell's hair affectionately, which earned him a glare as Stell moved his hand up to fix any strands that had come out of place.

“Don’t worry, I can hold my alcohol very well,” Stell grinned.

“Liar,” John Paulo chuckled.

Stell didn’t have a chance to protest though, because JP came bounding towards them and placed one arm around each of their shoulders.

“Yo, John Paulo, I’m glad you came. Listen, we need another person to help us with the keg stand in the back. You can do that, right?” he asked bouncing happily in place. He noticed the neon green shot in Stell's hand and easily nabbed it, downing it before Stell could object.

“Wow, thanks JP, I’m right here too, you know,” Stell rolled his eyes, moving out from underneath JP's grip. He took another shot off the table, bright red this time, before downing it, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Last time I asked you to help, you said, and I quote, ‘Why the fuck would I want to touch someone's gross legs while he attempts to prove his manliness in a messed up drinking culture set up by fuckboys?’”

“Well, it’s true,” Stell defended.

“Whatever,” JP waved him off. “So will you help us?” he turned to John Paulo. John Paulo, in turn, looked towards Stell, considering he had been the one to invite him to the party in the first place.

Stell rolled his eyes before saying, “Do whatever you want, you weirdos.” He wasn’t really upset, but John Paulo didn’t seem convinced. “Seriously, if you want to take part in that, I’m okay with it. Go have fun, meet new people or something,” he smiled, taking a second bright red shot off the table and shooing John Paulo and JP away.

Just because he didn’t see the fun in keg stands didn’t mean other people didn’t and who was Stell to ruin their fun? He figured his limit was two shots, for now at least, considering he was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol in his system, so he stepped away from the table in search of other people he knew to keep him occupied.

He chatted with a couple of his classmates, most of his friends nowhere in sight. Josh was probably with JP and John Paulo, and Stell highly doubted Josh's girl had come to such an event. Justin was probably off in some corner with Ken and he hadn’t texted Charles to see if he would be coming.

Stell took out his phone and started to type a message but at the realization that it didn’t look very coherent, he pocketed it in the fear that he would accidentally send the wrong thing to the wrong person.

Still, there were enough people that he knew that the time passed by quickly. John Paulo hadn’t returned yet but Stell was glad he was having fun and meeting new people. 

JP's teammates were loud, while John Paulo was quiet, but he certainly looked like he’d fit in with his gruff face and aura. Stell still couldn’t help but wonder how someone like that had decided that he liked Stell of all people.

Not that he was complaining. He liked John Paulo, a lot, and if John Paulo liked him then who was Stell to deny that?

“Stell, why are you standing there by yourself?” The familiar, deep voice of Stell's former dance mate made his reminiscent mood turn sour immediately. He looked up at the other..

“None of your business,” he snapped. He had managed to stay away from the apparently famous man all night, but one look at his stoic face had Stell immediately turning into a ball of fury.

“Do you want a drink?” he asked, offering a second cup that he had to Stell.

Stell narrowed his eyes at the suggestion. “You think I’d take a drink from you? You probably poisoned it or something,” he scoffed.

“Why would I do that?” Keith asked, confusion written all over his face. Steoo wasn’t sure if he was just a really good actor, or if he was just that daft when it came to reading social situations. He didn’t want to talk to Keith and yet, the man was still standing there like Stell had invited him to stay.

“I don’t know, maybe because you think it’s fun to make my life miserable,” Stell bit back. He didn’t know why he was even giving in to arguing with Keith of all people, when he could have just walked away from the man. He was by no means keeping Stell in place, but he riled him up like no one else did and Steoo hadn’t had a good argument with him in a long time.

He was certain the alcohol was fucking with his sense of judgement but while Stell knew this, he couldn’t bring himself to move away.

“I don’t make your life miserable,” Keith insisted seriously.

“Oh right, like telling me I’m wrong all the time isn’t your way of doing just that. Why do you even care what I do? It doesn’t affect you!” Stell shouted. He was vaguely aware of the volume of their conversation but he didn’t care anymore.

“Well you always seem to come in second,” he said bluntly. Stell wasn’t even surprised by Keith's audacity anymore but that didn’t stop his jaw from dropping at the frank statement all the same. “If you just listened to me, maybe it prevented you from injuring yourselfm You could be up there with us. You’ve got potential Stell. Maybe dancing is behind you, but you’re still smart and have a career in business. Join my damce troupe this year. With your ideas and my execution, we’d win the any competitiob for sure,” he insisted.

Stell flared up at the directness. “You think you can insult me by telling me you’re better than me then ask me to be on your team? You’re fucked, what the hell is wrong with you?” he stepped up closer to Keith. Stell knew better than to start a brawl with him considering his height and his build but that didn’t stop Stell from looking like he’d punch any time soon.

Luckily for him, he didn’t have to fight with what was left of his senses to stop himself from doing something he’d sorely regret later.

Suddenly, he felt warm hands on his shoulders that trailed down the length of his arms before tangling themselves in Stell's palms.

“Stell, what’s wrong?” John Paulo asked, tugging Stell a few steps back. Stell could feel his warmth behind him and the smell of his cologne, now that he was standing so close; it grounded him and made him lose some of his earlier ferocity.

“Nothing,” he shook his head, stepping further back. He turned his head away from Keith until the other man called out again.

“Who are you?” Keith asked bluntly. The suddenness of his question caught Stell by surprise and it seemed like it had done the same to John Paulo because Stell felt his grip around his hands tighten.

“Pardon?” John Paulo asked unsurely.

“Who are you?” Keith repeated. “I was talking to Stell. It was a private conversation,” he insisted.

“No, it wasn’t,” Stell glared. “He was being a jerk, don’t talk to him Sejun, you’ll just get infected by his dick germs.” Stell made to push John Paulo and himself away from Keith. But John Paulo didn’t seem to want to move now that he had been addressed. They stared at each other squarely for a few tense seconds until John Paulo broke the silence between them.

“John Paulo Nase,” John Paulo replied sternly, catching Stell by surprise. “And you are?” he returned the question.

Keith ignored the question, looking between Stell and John Paulo with curious eyes. “And, who are you to Stell?” he reiterated.

“I’m– ” Stell didn’t know what John Paulo was going to say because he didn’t give him a chance to finish the sentence. 

What the fuck was wrong with Keith? As if it wasn’t enough that he came to the same course as Stell. Stell wanted to get the fuck away from him, especially in his free time.

“Shut up,” Stell snapped. John Paulo thought Stell was speaking to him for a panicked moment before he realized his eyes were glaring daggers at Keith. “Shut up and stop talking to me. I don’t want to be on your stupid dance troupe and I never will. Just you wait, I’ll fucking kick your ass at the business fair this year too,” he snapped.

“Stell,” John Paulo pulled at his hands so that his back was flush against John Paulo's front. “Don’t get so worked up over him baby, he’s not worth it.” John Paulo tried to calm him down by murmuring in his ear, if only because people were really starting to stare now and he didn’t want this to be the talk of two schools.

Stell hesitated, like he wanted to fight back, but he didn’t. He let John Paulo tug him away, refusing to look back at Keith once he had turned around. He could feel the eyes of people around them on him, but he didn’t care. He had John Paulo by his side, holding Stell's hand firmly in his own. The use of his earlier pet name also didn’t go unnoticed by Stell and it softened his frown a little.

“I want to go home,” Stell said after a while, pulling himself closer to John Paulo and burying his head in the other man’s chest. “Keith ruined whatever fun I was having,” he sniffed.

John Paulo was mildly afraid Stell was going to start crying, so he whispered, “Yeah, come on,” before pulling Stell out of the house and away from prying eyes.

Their walk back to the car was quiet, Stell looking anywhere but at John Paulo's face. He kept their hands entwined but there was none of the usual vigour that Stell put into holding hands with John Paulo. It was as if he was leaving their hands pressed together out of habit, rather than because he wanted to and John Paulo couldn’t help but notice that.

“What’s wrong?” John Paulo asked once they were back in the car. Instead of turning on the engine, he turned to face Steoo, holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger to bring Stell's head towards him.

“Nothing,” Stell answered vaguely. John Paulo raised his thick eyebrows disbelievingly at that until Stell sighed. “Keith is so difficult to deal with. I swear he’s obsessed with making my life miserable. Did you know that back in high school he used to point out every single mistakes I made. Even if we didn’t lose, he’d tell me what I could improve on but not even in a constructive way because I never fucking asked him to. Then before I left our dance team, he’d tell me I wouldn’t be making the same mistakes if I had just practiced and do correct routines instead. He’s always on me about how I can improve, how I’m not living up to my potential, ugh! I hate him,” Stell seethed.

John Paulo paused for a moment, watching Stell's eyes flash dangerously again before he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

“He’s prying, don’t listen to him. You’re doing just fine, no you’re doing great,” John Paulo corrected. “You’re smart, and funny, and you’ve got great friends. Don’t let him tell you how to live your life or make you feel that what you’re doing isn’t enough.”

Stell nodded, blinking back a few tears. He wiped at the ones threatening to fall down his face with the back of his hand. He wasn’t sure why but hearing John Paulo tell him that he was doing enough had made him more emotional than fighting with Keith had. Maybe it was the alcohol in his system. Or maybe it was the fact that John Paulo had looked so sincere when he said it that made Stell's head spin and his heart beat faster.

“Thanks, Sejun,” he hiccupped slightly. “I’m sorry if I ruined your night.”

“Hey, don’t give me that. You didn’t ruin my night. I stopped having fun the moment you did,” he said seriously. He paused, thinking about something before asking, “How about we don’t end the night like this though? I’d hate for you arguing with Keith to be the last thing you remember about tonight when you wake up tomorrow.”

“What were you thinking?” Stell asked, looking from John Paulo’s face to the watch on his wrist, which read a quarter to midnight.

“Well, I have a moon roof in here that I’ve never gotten the chance to use and I heard this certain village has really nice evening spots,” he smiled.

“That’s in a different town, an hour and half drive from here,” Stell gaped.

“It’s late so there probably won’t be any traffic or many cars on the road for that matter. I can drive fast,” John Paulo offered. Stell chewed on his bottom lip in thought. He really wanted to say yes, but he didn’t want to burden John Paulo. Still, it was the other man who had offered. The way he smiled earnestly at Stell, eyes turned down into crescents and dimples caving in his cheeks made Stell nod his head eagerly.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” he agreed, already feeling the effects of John Paulo's offer brightening his mood. He took John Paul's hand in his own and turned on the radio as the other man started their drive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to see John Paulo's side profile while driving 😍
> 
> Also! My favorite scenes coming up the next chapter! Any guess?  
> clue: https://vt.tiktok.com/SGTbsE/


	13. Coffee Prince Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter started out as a drabble prompt by this song (open for mini surprise?) https://youtu.be/KmHBmCqcHkk
> 
> But then after this clip I watched the 2018 fanmeeting so I reserved my ideal date situation. Enjoy reading!

At some point during the drive to their targeted town, Stell had fallen asleep. The leather seats were incredibly comfortable, and when he kicked his shoes off to curl his feet on top of them, it made him feel ridiculously sleepy.

What he wasn’t expecting was for the just the right amount of heat to come from the seat, considering he's not that good with cold, which just made him curl up against the material as far back as he could without it looking like he wanted to be swallowed whole by it. He vaguely remembered John Paulo turning his head quickly to laugh at the sight before brushing his thumb soothingly over Stell's knuckles. His palms were a little rough, but the feeling made Stell's entire body shiver.

He was sure he fell asleep not too long after that and only woke up when John Paulo called out to him softly, brushing the locks of hair that had fallen over his face out of the way, tucking them gently behind his ears.

“What time is it?” Stell asked, blinking sleepily. He rubbed at his eyes a few times, trying to dispel the muggy feeling in his body. His head was hurting a little, probably the effects of the alcohol, but when he saw John Paulo's face peering at him softly, the headache started to clear.

“Around 1 am,” he answered. “Here, drink some water.” He uncapped a bottle and offered it to Stell, which Stell took happily.

“Where’d you get it?” Stell asked, not having seen any water in the car earlier.

“I picked it up from a 24 hours convenience store. I also got you this.” He turned his body around to search for something placed on the back seat. When he turned back and handed Stell a couple of packets of strawberry cream buns, Stell couldn’t help but light up.

Stell smiled, happily accepting the sweets. He handed the bottle back to John Paulo before ripping open a packet and biting down against the bread. It was still warm; he figured John Paulo must have picked it up recently. “Want some?” he asked, pushing the bread towards John Paulo's face.

“No, thank you,” he shook his head softly. “You eat them. You’ll definitely need them. How much did you even have to drink?” He chuckled when Stell frowned. The stawberry cream bread stuffed between his cheeks made him look a little ridiculous but still very cute.

“I don’t know, probably more than I should have. I’m kind of a lightweight,” Stell admitted sheepishly.

“I knew it,” John Paulo smirked. “And you were trying to convince me that you handle your alcohol well. I’m glad we got out of there when we did,” he laughed.

“Hey, being a lightweight and handling your alcohol well are two very different things,” Stell argued. “Did I throw up? Nope. I’d say I do handle my alcohol well,” he grinned, taking another bite of the sweet bread, rocking his head back and forth in happiness at the taste. He had only ever mentioned liking strawberries once to John Paulo and that was back at the school festival. He had eaten it in front of the other man once but Stell was surprised that he even remembered.

But he was very glad that he did.

“Fine, I guess that’s fair,” John Paulo conceded, biting his cheeks to hide his smile. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay, I promise,” he smiled. “You’re so nice, remembering that I love strawberries and going out of your way to buy it for me,” Stell said happily.

John Paulo coughed at the statement. “It wasn’t out of my way. I just happened to drive by the right place,” he shrugged.

“Hmm, you still remembered,” Stell mumbled cheerfully over his mouthful.

His cheeks were still flushed but it was more from happiness rather than the alcohol now. Against his milky skin however, any blush was noticeable, even in the dim light from inside the car. Stell was still curled up against his seat, legs pressed up to his chest comfortably, but they weren’t driving anymore. He peered outside to take in their surroundings and was surprised that despite the darkness outside, he could still make out a lake and a clearing of trees very clearly.

“Are we here?” he asked John Paulo curiously.

“Yeah. Let me know when you’re done eating and I’ll put the seats back so you can see the stars outside.”

Stell nodded, stuffing the rest of the bread in his mouth in one go excitedly. He smiled around the mouthful, swallowing it down with a little difficulty. “I’m done!”

John Paulo shook his head at Stell's antics but didn’t protest. “Lean back,” he instructed. Stell did as he was told then John Paulo pressed a button and Stell could feel the seat retracting backwards.

“Ooh, fancy,” he giggled at the feeling. From this position, he could see the view from the car's moon roof perfectly. Stell lifted his legs and curled them against the seat because he liked the warmth that the proximity brought.

He was too taken in by the stars above him to notice the way John Paulo was staring at him, dazed by Stell's amazement. “The stars are so pretty,” Stell smiled, turning his head to face John Paulo.

That was when he noticed that John Paulo wasn’t even peering at the array of stars twinkling above them, but instead he was gazing straight at Stell, as if he was the stars. It made Stell feel self-conscious because how could he compare to something so magical? The stars dotted the night sky, filling up the darkness completely with their tiny lights.

“They’re pretty, right?” he asked, clearing his throat and turning John Paulo's head to face the shimmering lights above them.

Stell had always been taken in by the grandeur of the sky. It was so vast and filled with so many things that could be found as individual items here on Earth. When they were put together and somehow left to evolve in the density known as the universe, they became so much more.

But even then, the stars had always been his favourite part. They were nothing more than balls of hydrogen and helium gas but they were so beautiful and completely breathtaking. The fact that they were so far away, and sometimes no longer in existence yet they could be seen from this distance, had always amazed Stell.

“Hmm,” John Paulo mumbled, closing his hand over Stell's. “They’re pretty,” he agreed, but his head had turned back to look at Stell.

“What are you looking at me for? Look at the sky,” Stell urged, nudging John Paulo slightly. The man in question grunted but didn’t protest more than that. He shifted his head back up so that he was looking out the moon roof instead of at Stell's face.

They sat quietly for a few moments, Stell revelling in the beauty of the sky, John Paull wondering how it was possible for someone to look like they belonged right there, in that vast expanse of shining lights.

“We can see the volcano from here if we go out,” John Paulo said after a while.

“Really?” Stell asked, excited at the thought. “I can’t remember the last time I actually visited here; I think I was really young at the time but we don’t usually come down south,” he said thoughtfully.

“I’ve never been,” John Paulo shrugged.

“Let’s go to the lake one day,” Stell said brightly. He didn’t know what had overcome him to suggest something so brash but John Paulo didn’t seem opposed to the idea.

Instead, he nodded his head and smiled charmingly at Stell. “Yeah. Maybe during the summer break or something,” he agreed.

Summer break. That was still a few months away, not until the very end of the term. The fact that John Paulo was thinking months ahead made Stell face him with a bright smile. He squeezed their hands together tighter, bringing them up so he could kiss the knuckles of John Paulo's hands tenderly.

“What?” John Paulo chuckled nervously at the sudden affection.

“This is a date, right?” Stell asked bluntly.

“Yeah,” John Paulo nodded immediately, confusion written all over his face.

Stell hummed happily at the confirmation. “So date number three, huh? Does this mean you’re going to ask me to be your boyfriend now?” he asked teasingly.

His tone was light and airy, but the seriousness of his question took John Paulo by surprise. Especially when he searched Stell's eyes and found them shining with an expression he had never seen before.

“Is that some kind of rule?” John Paulo asked nervously. Stell shook his head, but his face fell at the question. Stell hadn’t exactly been joking when he asked that; it was his way of broaching the topic and it stung a little that his plan hadn’t gone the right way. “Because if there is, that’s stupid. I’d have asked you to be my boyfriend the first day I saw you if I could have without it being weird,” John Paulo continued.

Screw a fucking plan.

Stell wasn’t sure he could take much more of John Paulo's perfect, well, everything.

“You liked me the first time you saw me?” he asked quietly, pulling John Paulo's face as close to his as possible without either of them actually moving their heads off the seats they were resting against.

“Hmm,” he agreed. “Why do you think I didn’t come back until four days later? I was taken aback by how charming you were and I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of you. Especially considering I didn’t know anything about coffee,” he laughed, face flushed from the honesty.

“You still don’t know anything about coffee, Sejun,” Stell reminded playfully. But John Paulo's admission had put a matching, happy blush on Stell's face.

John Paulo gaped at him half-heartedly. “Quit being silly. I’m telling you something embarrassing,” he scolded.

“Want me to tell you something embarrassing in return?” Stell asked nervously. John Paulo looked at him curiously, then nodded. “I may or may not have jerked off to the thought of you the day you gave me your number,” he said quickly.

Stell pulled his hand out from John Paulo's own and used it to cover his face as he turned away from the other man. John Paulo remained eerily silent for a few seconds before he started laughing. 

Stell felt his face heat up in embarrassment. Why the fuck had he even said that? He could have easily kept it a secret for the rest of his life. He supposed that the alcohol still wasn’t out of his system considering it had only been about an hour and half since his last drink, otherwise he would have never said something so reckless.

When John Paulo didn’t stop laughing however, Stell felt his face heat up in something more than just embarrassment. He turned his face back to glare daggers at the other man, who had enough sense to stop chuckling when he saw the look of anger flit across Stell's face unapologetically.

“Stell..!!,” he started hesitantly, face sober and devoid of all previous amusement.

“That’s not funny. I should never have told you,” he pouted. Unlike all the other times he had jokingly sulked, the quiver in his lip was real this time.

“I wasn’t laughing at you,” John Paulo continued, trying to hold Stell's hand in his own again. But Stell was stubborn and he felt insulted, so he crossed his arms and tucked his hands under his armpits, away from John Paulo's reach.

“I promise I wasn’t,” John Paulo said a little more desperately. “Come on, look at me and I’ll tell you why I was laughing,” he answered, gently nudging Stell's hands out from their hiding place.

Stell let him hold them in his own before turning his still very embarrassed face to meet John Paulo's gaze.

“Fine,” he huffed.

“I was laughing because I was relieved that you seem to like me just as much as I like you,” he answered honestly.

Stell was stunned by the honesty. He felt his face heat up again, but this time, it was a different sort of embarrassment. One that left him feeling warm on the inside, like he was basking in the heat of a hot spring.

“Of course I like you,” Stell repeated slowly.

“I know that,” John Paulo answered. “I always did, but it’s nice to hear it again,” he smiled sincerely.

“I don’t know if I should be thrilled or annoyed with you right now,” Stell frowned. He pushed himself off his seat and leaned all his weight on his left elbow so he could place a chaste kiss to John Paulo's lips. “But since you drove us in the middle of the night to stargaze, I’m leaning more towards thrilled,” he smiled, placing another soft kiss on his lips before lying back down in his seat.

John Paulo squeezed his hand tightly, thumb brushing along the back of it soothingly. “Just so we’re clear, you’re not mad about the whole, you know, jerking off thing, right?” Stell asked hesitantly.

“Mad? More like flattered,” John Paulo laughed again, tracing the outline of Stell's blush with his unoccupied hand. “Cute,” he mumbled absentmindedly.

“What?!” Stell asked, even though he had heard him just fine.

“I said you’re cute. Especially when you blush,” John Paulo grinned. “Makes me want to embarrass you all the time,” he whispered against Stell's ear.

The suddenness of John Paulo's tongue and teeth that reached out to trace the shell of his ear made Stell jump slightly, which only served to increase his blush and John Paulo's laughter.

“Sejun, you're distracting me,” Stell complained. “We're supposed to be watching the stars,” he reminded, pulling away from John Paulo's touch if only so that he could let his poor, exerted face catch a break from being red.

“Alright, fine,” John Paulo agreed, moving back to his own seat. “Do you want to go outside? It's a little cold but I have a blanket in the trunk. You can see everything better from out there,” he gestured vaguely outside the window. 

“Yeah, let's do that,” Stell agreed instantly. Screw being cold – he wanted to be able to see the stars and the volcano across the lake from outside. John Paulo had driven them all this way and he’d be damned if he let an opportunity like that go to waste.

Stell let John Paulo get out of the car first while he slipped his shoes back on his feet before stepping out as well. John Paulo handed him the blanket, which he happily wrapped around himself and beckoned for John Paulo to join him in the space he'd made. It didn't take very much convincing to get John Paulo huddled up right next to him. Both of them sitting on the hood of the black car with their legs stretched out in front of them, wrapped in the warm purple blanket.

“So pretty,” Stell cooed again, taking in the sight of the lights reflecting off the lake. The slight breeze caused the water to ripple and the reflections to shift, causing the individual dots to spread out across the water like a stream of lights, making the lake glow.

Beyond the lake, from their spot, Stell could see the volcano, just like John Paulo said he'd be able to. He couldn't remember it looking as nice as it did now, the last time he was here. To be fair, it had been a long time ago and while he loved his family, coming here again with John Paulo was just a tad bit more special.

There was also something captivating about the way the lake looked like it blended into the night sky, fading into the canvas of stars. Yet at the same time, it also stood out amongst them, standing tall and proud in the night, almost like a guardian.

“I like how peaceful it is here,” John Paulo observed. “It kind of reminds of back home. City is really big and crowded so it's hard to see the stars.”

“I know what you mean,” Stell agreed. “I grew up seeing the stars all the time. It's actually what made me fall in love with the night, and it was a big change to come from that to the city. But then you're reminded of how beautiful the sky really is when you do get the chance to see it again so you don't take it for granted,” Stell mused. 

“I guess when you put it like that,” John Paulo chuckled, pulling Stell closer to him. The wind had picked up a little and Stell wasn't going to object to soaking up more of John Paulo's body heat. He wondered how someone could be so warm all the time.

“Do you miss home?” Stell asked quietly, leaning into John Paulo's chest.

The last time he had visited his hometown had been in May, right before the new school year had started. But Stell was used to only going back home a few times a year ever since he moved to the city for university. He couldn’t imagine how homesick John Paulo must feel though, considering he had gone to a university close to his hometown for two years before transferring down to them.

It was a long move, and Stell still wasn’t sure why John Paulo had come here in the first place. But he was still a little drunk and he didn’t want to ruin the peaceful atmosphere that they had created around themselves with that conversation.

“Yeah,” John Paulo nodded. “I miss my mom,” he admitted with a small laugh, running his hands down the length of Stell's arm, making his hair stand up from the shivers that wracked through him at the feeling.

“And your dad?” Stell added, sighing contently at the feeling of John Paulo's hands on him.

John Paulo paused at the question. “Yeah,” he agreed. “And my dad.”

It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about his parents or his hometown, so Stell dropped the subject, letting them bask in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. John Paulo continued to rub his hand soothingly over Stell's arm, dipping his fingers lower to spread across his thigh every once in a while as well.

It was quiet, and a little chilly, but it was also really nice. Stell couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this happy.

“You can see Jupiter this time of the year, did you know that?” Stell asked brightly, the twinkling white flicker in the sky catching his eye.

“Really?”

“Hmm, look there,” Stell shuffled the blanket around a little to take out his arm. He wrapped the rest of it back over himself comfortably before he pointed up into the sky with his index finger. “It's not the best time of the night to spot it because it's kind of dim now but notice how it's whiter than the other dots around it?”

John Paulo frowned, as he followed Stell's pointed finger, but then something clicked and he nodded. “I think I see it,” he smiled. “How'd you know that?” 

“I know lots of things, Sejun,” Stell grinned brightly. “Oh and to the left of it, the bluish looking dot is Regulus. It's the brightest star in the Leo constellation,” he explained. “Then below Jupiter you see how there's a larger triangle of stars, with a smaller one below it before they start to extend – doesn't that kind of look like a snake?” he grinned excitedly. 

“Huh, I guess it does.” John Paulo tilted his head to get a better look. 

“That constellation is called Hydra, which was a snake in Greek mythology by the way,” Stell explained happily. When John Paulo looked at him with a thoughtful expression his grin just widened. “Cool, right?” 

“You're definitely cool. I didn't know you knew all of that,” John Paulo stared at him awestruck. 

“I wasn't talking about me,” Stell blushed furiously. John Paulo chuckled and kissed his cheek to appease him, but that just made Stell's blush spread across his face and down his neck. “I like this kind of stuff. Makes the night more interesting when you know what's going on,” he explained. 

“Keep going,” John Paulo urged. “Tell me all the other ones you know,” he insisted. 

“Yeah, okay,” Stell agreed happily.

He took John Paulo's hand in his and started pointing at the different constellations and stars and planets he could see, trying his best to point out all the ones he knew to John Paulo.

The town had a lot more stars than he was used to and he didn't know what everything in the night sky was but Stell made a mental note to find out. The next time they came here, he was going to blow John Paulo away with his improved knowledge. 

But the way John Paulo was looking at him completely mesmerized by Stell's enthusiasm made Stell feel like he was already blown away. 

He didn't know how long they sat outside for, wrapped up in the blanket and each other's warmth. At some point, Stell leaned his head down against John Paulo's lap and started to close his eyes, mumbling more facts that he knew quietly. John Paulo listened to him attentively, running a hand through Stell's hair absentmindedly the whole time.

It was quiet and peaceful, and probably the nicest date he had ever been on. It was almost unbelievable that they had come so far in just a month.

When Stell's arms started to tremble against the cold and he shivered visibly, John Paulo nudged him lightly. “Let's go back inside. You're freezing.” He dropped his hand to cup Stell's cheek to check his statement and was unsurprised to find that his face was incredibly cold. 

“But I want to watch the sky,” he protested childishly. “We have the blanket, and Sejun is warm! You can just keep me from freezing,” Stell argued stubbornly. 

“You'll get sick,” John Paulo reminded. Stell pouted, turning his head to bury it in John Paulo's stomach at the response. He huffed hot air against him, making John Paulo squirm. “If you're sick, I won't kiss you until you're better,” he threatened, hiding his smile. 

Stell frowned at the thought before agreeing begrudgingly. “Fine.” The thought of John Paulo holding physical affection as hostage was more than enough to convince Stell to do as he was told. He stared longingly at the sky once more before heading back into the car, taking the blanket with him. 

John Paulo pulled the seats back up so they could sit up straight, which made Stell look at him questioningly. “Are you driving back?”

“Hmm, its like 3 am, I'm kind of tired,” he chuckled. 

“You wanna sleep in the car?” Stell questioned. 

“I was thinking we'd find an inn or something instead. Stay the night then head back in the morning,” he shrugged. “It's Sunday and I made no important plans as per your request,” he chuckled. 

Stell nodded, agreeing to John Paulo's suggestion. He felt like he was going to pass out soon but sleeping in a car didn't sound very appealing at all. Still, he couldn't help but tease John Paulo a little. “Taking me to an inn on our third date, how very forward of you, Sejun” he grinned lazily. 

“Stell,” John Paulo said seriously. “I sucked your dick last night. I think we're past the forward stage,” he deadpanned. 

Stell stuttered at the comeback, wholly unprepared for it. “And yet, you still haven't asked me to be your boyfriend,” he managed to say shakily. 

“Really?” John Paulo raised his eyebrows. 

“Really,” Stell nodded seriously. 

“I thought it was kind of obvious…” 

“I won't know if I don't hear you say it,” Stell sing-songed. 

He expected John Paulo to protest a little more, to say ‘no’ and wave it off as being embarrassing. Instead, John Paulo shifted his body so he was face to face with Stell before taking Stell's hands and wrapping them in his own. “Stellvester Ajero, will you please be my boyfriend?” he asked without a trace of humour. 

Stell's mouth fell open at the action. He had been teasing. He hadn't actually expected John Paulo to follow through with his demands. 

“Geez,” John Paulo sighed, lips quirking up in a small smile. “After making such a big deal, you don't even say ‘yes’? Well this is embarrassing for me.”

“Yes!” Stell said suddenly, pulling his arms out from the blanket and throwing them around John Paulo's neck. “Yes, yes!;yes!” he repeated, peppering kisses all over John Paulo's face. 

John Paulo indulged him for a little while, even going so far as to take Stell's head in his hands and kiss him squarely on the mouth, before he pulled away and insisted that unless Stsll wanted to sleep in the car, he'd let John Paulo find them a place to stay. 

Luckily, this town was a very popular tourist area and finding a vacant inn room even at this time of the night wasn’t too difficult. Though the inn managers didn’t look too impressed with their flushed cheeks and the vague smell of alcohol around them. 

Still, they got into an inn just fine, even if it took them an extra half hour to actually make it into the room thanks to Stell's wandering hands that made it very difficult for John Paulo to focus on anything but him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Our sunshine boy and ice prince in the moonlight~ Hmmm any guess where exactly did they go? haha
> 
> Controlling my urge to make Stell sing a few lines from the link I provided!! haha


	14. Coffee Prince Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends! filler chapter but have a nice day! ^_^
> 
> a bit Justin focus?

“So where'd you go on Saturday? I didn't see you at the party at all. Then Josh said something about you fighting with Keith. You didn't actually start a fight with him, did you?” Justin asked, peering up at Stell over his sketchbook. 

“You were there?” Stell asked, purposely ignoring Justin's question about the fight.

“We were, although Ken and I didn’t get there till late. Whose brilliant idea was it to make it so far? It took us an hour to get there by train,” Justin cursed.

“John Paulo gave me a ride,” Stell said proudly, hiding his smile behind his phone.

“Put your phone down,” he chastised. “And you didn’t answer my question,” he reminded.

Stell frown, but did as he was told. He placed his phone down face first on the table in front of him and resumed his sitting position in the corner booth, wiggling his posture a bit until Justin clucked his tongue to signal that he looked fine.

Stell didn’t know why he had even agreed to let Justin sketch him in the first place. The other man could have chosen anyone else for his project, so Stell supposed it was a compliment. But sitting still for so long was uncomfortable and boring.

“If our manager comes in, I’m probably going to get in trouble,” he said flippantly.

“Our manager never comes in. You basically run this place. Also, it's my day off. Does she even care what we do?” Justin reminded with a small laugh. He peered up at Stell absentmindedly from across the table, most of his attention still on the sketchbook balanced between his legs and the edge of the shiny glass table.

“Not really. You know she’s kind of crazy but nice. Reminds me a bit of my aunt actually with the way she pinches my cheeks sometimes.” Stell's face twisted at the memory. His aunt with large age gap didn’t matter so much, she still liked to treat Stell like a baby.

“But I guess I can’t complain considering she really does let us do whatever we want, as long as we’re not burning the place down and we’re making profit,” he shrugged.

“Anyway, answer the damn question before I put a horrible error on your face and make this sketch famous,” he threatened.

Stell opened his mouth to argue but decided against it. Justin was talented and even if people didn’t believe that the picture was really him, he had no doubt that it would still be humiliating.

“No, of course not," Stell scowled. "The asshole came up to me, if anything, and started spouting his bullshit elitist crap as always.” 

“But you didn't fight him, right?” Justin asked again. Stell wanted to tell him off for being nosy. But his friend was just concerned, so Stell pushed aside his pride and shook his head sullenly.

“Well not physically,” Stell confirmed tetchily. “I’m not stupid, Jah. I may hate Keith with a burning passion but I know he’d probably kick my ass in a straight up brawl,” he admitted.

Stell didn’t like to be on the losing side, and while Keith liked to point out to him that he often was on the losing side when it was a competition between the two, Stell wouldn’t voluntarily give the guy more ammo.

“Good,” Justin confirmed, turning his eyes down to the paper in front of him. “I’m almost done,” he promised when Stell started to fidget again.

“I just want to check my phone, come on Justin? You can let me do that, right?” Stell whined, fingers moving slowly against the table to reach for his phone.

John Paulo had been texting him throughout his lecture and Stell didn’t know when this kind of an opportunity would arise again. John Paulo was too good of a student and usually kept his phone on silent in his bag during his lectures. Today happened to be Stell's lucky day though, because his lecture was either too boring, or he was starting to give in to Stell's charm.

Stell liked to believe that it was the latter.

Despite having spent basically the entire weekend with John Paulo, Stell couldn’t get enough of the other man’s presence. They had met each other for lunch briefly just yesterday between classes, but Stell hadn’t seen John Paulo at all today, which had dampened his mood a little bit.

“Quit whining. You can go a few minutes without texting him?” Justin rolled his eyes, reaching across the table to swipe Stell's phone out of his reach. Stell jutted his bottom lip out in protest but didn’t argue further. He sat back against the black leather seat of the booth, and hummed obnoxiously, if only so that Justin would finish faster.

Justin didn’t seem bothered by Stell's moody attitude. In fact, it made him smile, although he didn’t look up to meet Stell's eyes again. Instead, he focused on the sketch in front of him with practiced patience.

If Stell was being honest with himself, he just wanted to see what Justin was doing that was taking him so long. Warm-up sketches were something his friend did often and he was good at them, which also meant they didn’t take him long. For some reason though, Justin was spending an awfully long time on just one sketch for his homework, and of Stell's face no less. He could have probably sketched that in his sleep considering how well they knew one another.

Before Stell's patience could run out though, the door to the shop chimed. There were enough people to work the counter that Stell's help wasn’t required but he looked towards the door out of habit anyway, and was both pleased to see regulars popping in.

He was grateful for the distraction though, because it gave him something to do other than stare at Justin over his sketchbook impatiently. Justin was good company, unless he was working on his art, at which point he either responded with vague answers or hums and nods – all of those things didn’t help Stell at the moment.

Stell's face twisted down into a deeper frown until Justin gently nudged his foot under the table and raised his eyebrows at Stell expectantly. Stell reluctantly changed his expression back to a neutral one.

“So what are you really doing here?” Stell asked, turning his attention towards Justin. “I thought you had dinner plans with Ken and no offense, but you don’t exactly look ready for a date,” Stell said eyeing Justin's grey hoodie and jeans.

“Is that your way of telling me I look bad?” Justin asked slowly. The glint in his eyes contradicted his threatening tone.

Stell grinned and shook his head. “You know I never think you look bad.”

The answer seemed to please Justin as he hummed happily. “If you must know, I got ditched,” he sighed dramatically. “For your crush, no less,” he added, staring pointedly at Stell.

“What? Sejun told me he was busy tonight when I asked him if he wanted to get dinner. What the fuck? I can’t believe he’d ditch me for Ken!” Stell frowned. “Again, no offense,” Stell added as an afterthought.

Justin waved off the semi-apology. “Join the club,” he sighed, placing his chin between his palms and resting his elbows on the table. “Something about lab reports and re-doing their experiment ‘just in case,’” he quoted with a roll of his eyes.

“Ugh,” Stell responded, understanding Justin's frustration. He had wanted to see John Paulo again, even if it was just for a few minutes. He knew that the other man was busy, but everyone had to take a small dinner break, right?

Apparently not though, considering John Paulo had firmly denied the suggestion when Stell first brought it up. Stell hadn’t initially been upset by it, especially considering John Paulo was more than making it up to him by texting him throughout the day – which Stell now realized was probably due to some form of guilt – but now that he knew what exactly, or who exactly he was being ditched for, he wasn’t so pleased.

“Are you two really complaining about your boyfriends being good students?” JP asked with a light chuckle while tidying up the table near them.

“Yes,” Justin and Stell responded in unison.

“Wait?! Is John Paulo actually your boyfriend? When did this happen? You never tell me anything anymore, you jackass!” Justin narrowed his chinky eyes, reaching over the table to grab at sleeve of Stell's crisp, white work shirt angrily.

“JP?!,” Stell whined, turning towards his friend for assistance. He was met with a shrug and an indifferent look.

“Come on, give it up, when did this happen?” Justin prodded, bringing Stell's face closer to his across the table.

“Ugh, Justin, you don’t know your own damn strength,” Stell huffed. He pushed Justin's arm away from his shirt before straightening it out.

“Saturday after the party, or well, I guess it was Sunday since it was like 3 am when this happened,” Stell hummed, smiling at the memory.

“Don’t think you’re getting off that easily. I want every single detail. Give me enough that I can live vicariously through you, at least for the night considering my schedule is clear and I am in need of some exciting information,” he urged.

“Fine,” Stell agreed. “I take it you know what happened with Keith right?”

Justin nodded to confirm.

“Well, Sejun came in during that spat and kind of diffused the situation. Keith had already ruined my mood so I asked him if he could take me home and he agree,” Stell started.

Justin opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it at the dirty look Stell threw him.

“I honestly thought the night was a bust but then Sejun suggested we didn’t end it on a bad note so we, well he, drove us to go to town, which was really nice by the way. And we ended up staying out till early morning just stargazing,” Stell sighed dreamily.

“If you tell me he asked you to be his boyfriend while fucking stargazing I’m going to kick you in the shins,” Justin chuckled. Despite his words, his tone of voice was light and it looked like he was genuinely happy for Stell.

“Then let me move away first, because that’s exactly what happened,” Stell smirked. “Sejun’s the best, isn’t he?” Stell asked, remembering what he had said about liking him the moment he saw him. It made Stell blush at the memory, which didn’t go unnoticed by his friend.

“I’m going to cut you off right there. I don’t want to know any more of what happened during that night,” JP said warily.

“Screw that, tell me everything,” Justin insisted, eyes sparkling.

Stell chuckled at the mixed reactions. “Nothing more happened,” he shrugged. “I was still kind of tipsy at that point and he was sober considering he drove. We stayed the night in an inn and spent our morning near lake for brunch before heading back to city on Sunday. I swear he won’t do more than hesitantly touch me when he’s sober and I’m not, so that was the end of my night,” Stell sighed.

He wasn’t complaining though. Kissing John Paulo was just as nice as everything else. He was grateful for how kind John Paulo was. He was a gentleman through and through.

“Ah, that is so romantic,” Justin cooed. “He must really like you to drive that far just to cheer you up,” Justin smiled.

Stell blushed, unsure how to respond. “You know he told me he thought I was charming when he first saw me,” Stell smiled shyly.

Justin's jaw nearly hit the table, but he schooled his features quickly. “Well look at you! with your stupidly perfect boyfriend,” Justin rolled his eyes, but he smiled through the words. “I’m happy for you,” he added honestly.

“Me too,” JP confirmed through the counter. “You two seem to balance each other out. And he fits in with all of our friends so easily, doesn’t he?” he mused.

“Yeah,” Stell chuckled, smiling brightly. John Paulo did fit in with all of his friends well. He supposed they were also his friends at this point. 

Stell was pretty certain John Paulo knew more about Ken than anyone. Except for maybe Justin, did considering all the time they spent together in classes and outside.

So far, John Paulo had impressed everyone and it made Stell's heart swell up in pride that his friends liked him so much. They were all important to him in different ways and he wasn’t sure what he would have done if one party didn’t like the other.

But he didn’t have anything to worry about, thankfully. Just yesterday he had overheard JP and Josh fighting over who would get dibs on getting John Paulo to spot for them first the next time they were at the gym together. It made Stell roll his eyes but it also made him feel happier than he could have imagined. His friends liked John Paulo and it made Stell more aware of how much he liked the other man because of it.

It was unfair how great he was, but Stell couldn’t bring himself to complain about it considering John Paulo had decided to share his all his affections with Stell for some unknown reason.

Sometimes, Stell was still taken aback by the fact that John Paulo liked him. He liked Stell despite his occasional childish behaviour and his constant need for affection and reassurance.

He liked him for him, and Stell hadn’t felt this happy about someone in a very long time. He didn’t have to hide any parts of his personality because while John Paulo did complain about it sometimes, he didn’t genuinely seem bothered by Stell.

“I’m done!” Justin called out, breaking Stell from his own thoughts. He neatly removed the paper from his sketchbook and handed it to Stell along with his phone.

“Whoaa!” he breathed, taking in the robotic look of Justin's' sketch. Half of his face had been drawn normally while the other half was a smattering of geometric shapes and gears that all fit with one another so well. “Very steampunk,” Stell admired. “I didn’t know you were into this, but wow, it looks great,” he beamed.

“Ah yeah, I’ve been trying something new. I thought I’d expand my art style and mix in traditional art with something more modern,” Justin explained humbly.

“What are you embarrassed for? It looks fantastic!” Stell confirmed, patting Justin's back comfortingly.

“Thank you,” Justin acknowledged happily. “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you but there’s a small art show at the campus art museum this Friday. I have two works on display there this year. So I get more people to invite,” he smiled. “It’ll probably be a stuffy thing, but there’s free food and drinks, although please don’t feel pressured to come – only if you’re free,” he insisted.

“Justin, don’t be stupid. Of course we’ll come,” JP smiled.

“Yeah, we can’t miss out on the opportunity to support you while you’re still trying to make a name for yourself. Don’t forget us when you’re famous, alright?” Stell teased. “What time is the event?” he added, beaming at Justin's' humbled expression.

“It starts at 6 pm, but you technically don’t have to arrive until 8 pm. The first two hours will just be our professors grading us on our progress from last year, so the food doesn’t even come out until they’re done,” Justin explained. “Oh, and of course the invite extends to John Paulo,” he added.

“To be honest, I don’t know if he’ll come because Ken and John Paulo have class until 7 pm on Fridays but Ken will definitely be there,” Justin smiled reassuringly, pointing between himself and Stell. Stell nodded his approval.

“I’ll text you the dress code then.” Justin said. “Thanks for letting me sketch you. I really appreciate it.” he looked pleased and Stell couldn’t help but beam at his friend in response.

Stell had honestly been surprised when Josh introduced Justin as one of his closest friends, considering how widely different their personalities were. But Stell learned that while Justin was extremely shy at first, he did have a wild streak that appeared sometimes. In the end, Stell was grateful for their friendship and how far they had come in just one year alone.

“Sure, Justin,” Stell replied, before remembering he still had the sketch. “Oh, here, you probably want this back,” he lifted the paper up towards Justin.

“No, you can keep it,” he insisted.

“Really? This is so nice though,” he gaped in awe. “Besides, what am I supposed to do with a portrait of myself?” Stell laughed.

“Give it to John Paulo or something, haha” Justin shrugged. “I’m sure he’d love to have a one of a kind picture of his new boyfriend.” His expression was readable for that small twitch of his lips that Stell spotted.

“You’re terrible,” Stell complained, but his words held nothing but affection.

“Yeah, yeah, booked your Friday if anything,” Justin said while tucking his sketchbook into his messenger bag.

Stell looked down at the sketch in his hands. Justin had called it a sketch but in Stell's opinion, it was way more than that. Justin had always been good at visualizing his thoughts and putting them to paper, but Stell was constantly blown away by his improvement and his insight all the same.

“You know what I think?” Justin asked. He shuffled back into the cozy black leather seat of the booth, sitting face-to-face with Stell.

“Hmm?” Stell asked, tearing his eyes away from the drawing in front of him. “What do you think?”

“That we should guilt trip Ken and John Paulo into taking us out to dinner for ditching us tonight,” Justin hummed thoughtfully.

Stell's face split into a grin at the suggestion. “You’re so sketchy, Justin,” he laughed.

“Is that a no?” Justin raised his eyebrows knowingly.

“That’s a hell yes!” Stell corrected. “Make sure we get to pick the place though. There’s that new restaurant that opened up on the north side of campus that apparently makes really good food.”

“Sounds expensive,” Justin hummed. “Done!” he agreed.

Stell laughed at how easy it was for Justin's mood to turn around. He was an optimist through and through. While Stell didn’t have that kind of an outlook and he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to, he admired his friend for being so positive. And if the optimism was contagious then so be it. Stell needed a little bit of a sunny view on life sometimes anyway.

They chatted like that for a few hours, Justin keeping Stell company until his shift ended. And when he was ready to close up for the day and bid Justin goodbye, the door opened to reveal Ken and John Paulo.

Stell couldn’t help but notice the slightly guilty looks on both of their faces, but the delight he felt at seeing John Paulo again was enough to make him forget just why his boyfriend was sporting such a sheepish expression.

“Hey,” John Paulo waved in greeting. “I heard you were still working so I thought I could walk you home,” he offered.

Stell's stomach fluttered at the gesture and his impossibly wide smile widened further at hearing John Paulo's proposal.

“Don’t think you’re getting off that easily,” Stell chuckled, watching John Paulo's nervousness visibly increase with Stell's comment. “I was just kidding, I know school comes first,” Stell reassured with a smile.

He placed a quick kiss to John Paulo's lips to prove that he meant what he had said. “But Justin has this idea that you and Ken need to make it up to us so I have to tell you that you’re not getting off that easily,” he added.

“Hey, don’t throw me under the bus like that,” Justin shouted upon hearing his name. “But yes, you’re going to have to make it up to us. Just so you know, Stell picked a really expensive place,” he emphasized, smirking at Stell's reaction. Stell supposed that it was only fair considering he had ousted Justin's plans first.

“Alright, I know better than to argue with Justin. What do you say, Pau?” Ken chuckled, pulling Justin into a one-armed hug. Stell watched Justin’s expression brighten impossibly at the touch. He briefly wondered if that was how he looked around John Paulo.

“I guess I have no choice in the matter,” John Paulo shrugged, expression stoic. At least, it was until Stell poked his cheek and his face split into a wide grin.

“Don’t act like you don’t want to take me out to dinner. I’m a great date, in case you’ve forgotten,” Stell pouted.

“Sorry, sorry,” John Paulo laughed, eyes crinkling at the sight of Stell's expression. “You’re always the best date,” he added not so quietly at the end.

Stell's mood improved at hearing the compliment. His lips parted into a wide smile and a light pink blush dusted his cheeks because he could never get over John Paulo saying such sincere things to him.

“Geez, let’s get out of here before I’m forced to witness any more of this.” Justin motioned in Stell and John Paulo's general direction, before smiling. “Goodnight, guys!” he greeted, followed suit by Ken's own greeting.

“Night!” Stell waved back.

“Later,” John Paulo nodded. “We’re good, right?” John Paulo asked once the door had closed behind Justin and Ken's retreating figures, leaving him and Stell alone with only the faint sound of the chiming bell breaking the silence.

Stell looked up from the tables where he had moved to stack the chairs away. “Of course we are. Why would you ask that?” He tiled his head thoughtfully in John Paulo's direction, confusion spread across his features.

“I don’t know,” John Paulo chuckled nervously. “I feel bad that I’m always busy.”

Stell felt his cheeks flare up at the confession. “You’re not always busy,” he insisted. “Besides, just because I don’t see you a lot doesn’t mean I’m going to be mad at you for it.” He moved away from the neatly stacked chairs and took John Paulo's hand in his own. “What can I do about my boyfriend being a perfect student?” he teased.

Despite what he had told JP and Justin a few hours ago about being annoyed, he wasn't deep down. Not really, anyway, because how could he ever be annoyed about something like John Paulo working hard? It was admirable, really, even if it left Stell with no distraction. But Stell knew how to be alone, and he always had his friends to hang out with as well, which he had been doing long before John Paulo came into his life, anyway.

“Stell,” John Paulo groaned shyly.

“Want me to prove it?” Stell asked, eyes glinting mischievously.

“Prove what?” John Paulo asked innocently, but his smirk overpowered his nonchalance.

“How good we really are,” Stell answered without missing a beat. He brushed his lips along John Paulo's slowly, leaving a trail of kisses from his lips up his jaw before taking John Paulo's earlobe between his teeth and biting down lightly.

“I’ll let you take me home tonight,” he whispered in his ear. “I’ll even let you fuck me,” he added, feeling his face flush at the boldness.

However, Stell had nothing to worry about because John Paulo's own face was just as red, if not more than Stell's. It didn’t even look like he had noticed Stell's embarrassment because his eyebrows were furrowed intensely in thought. It was kind of cute, and made Stell want to laugh, but he bit the inside of his cheek and settled on hiding his smile behind tight lips.

Stell didn’t have to ask what John Paulo was thinking so deeply about though because he got his response within seconds, even if it wasn’t what he was looking for.

“Shit, Stell, I really want to, but don’t you have an 8 am class tomorrow? It’s going to be nearing midnight before we get back and I don’t want to rush our first time,” he admitted embarrassedly.

“I can skip it. It’s only statistics,” Stell offered seriously, brushing his fingers along the length of John Paulo's arms slowly. He moved his face to bury it in John Paulo's neck, breathing in his smell deeply.

“You’re not skipping class,” John Paulo deadpanned.

“You’re so strict to me,” Stell cried dramatically, pulling away to look John Paulo in the eyes. “It’s like you just don’t want to have sex with me,” he said dejectedly.

John Paulo chuckled at his antics, pulling him in for a slow kiss. When they parted, Stell's eyes were glossed over and a new rosy tint had spread from his cheeks all the way up to his ears.

“That’s definitely not it. You make it so hard for me to say ‘no’ to you, did you know that?” John Paulo asked honestly. “Let me walk you home and the next time we’re both free, I promise…” he trailed off embarrassedly.

“Promise, what?” Stell grinned, loving the way John Paulo's cheeks were so red. It was a nice contrast against his smooth skin and it made Stell want to kiss him until the colour spread everywhere.

“I promise I’ll make love to you,” he mumbled quickly. Stell grinned at the declaration, skipping away from John Paulo to remove his apron and change out of his work clothes.

It didn’t take him very long to change out of his work clothes. By the time Stell had returned to the front of the shop, dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a grey shirt and John Paulo's jacket that he was certain, John Paulo's eyes lingered on when he tossed it across his shoulders. His boyfriend had stacked the rest of the chairs, making Stell's eyes widen at the sweet gesture.

“Oh I almost forgot to ask you, but are you free Friday after your tutorial?” Stell asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder as they walked towards the door. He flicked most lights off and did a quick sweep of the room once more.

He really needed to step-up his game around the other man, because it just wasn’t fair how damn perfect he was.

“I might be. Why? Did you want to do something?” John Paulo asked, holding the door to the store open for Stell after he had walked out.

“Well, Justin has this show at the campus art museum. He asked me to invite you. You don’t have to go if you’re busy or if you’re tired. I know Fridays are long days for you but I’m just passing along the invitation,” Stell smiled. He locked the door before dropping his keychain back into his bag and reaching out for John Paulo's hand.

“Are you going?” John Paulo asked, lacing his fingers through Stell's instinctively.

“Yeah, JP and I promised Justin we’d go. I’m assuming Zio is also coming. But I don’t know if Josh is because sometimes he has these terrible game meetings on Friday nights. Charles is coming too unless they’re scheduled on the different day. As for Ken, never misses any of Justin's shows, he tries to make it there for him,” Stell explained.

“Yeah,” John Paulo chuckled. “Ken was bragging about how Justin was the best."

“You know what? Before, Ken was strongly denying his feelings for Justin,” Stell hummed thoughtfully. “Although I’m pretty sure Josh was just trying to get a rise out of Ken.” he shook his head.

“I should have known,” John Paulo smiled. “Anyway, I’ll come,” he agreed. “To Justin's art show,” he clarified.

“Really? You don’t have to?” Stell added. He felt like he had sort of guilt tripped John Paulo into agreeing. “I mean, I’m sure Justin will understand if you don’t come. Besides, art isn’t everyone’s thing?” Stell rushed out.

“You don’t want me to come?” John Paulo quirked a brow at Stell's sudden hesitancy.

“No,” Stell denied. “Of course I want you to come. I just… don’t want to make you feel like you have to. Hnggh, I shouldn’t have said anything. Forget it.” he mumbled, turning his face to the side and increasing his pace.

“Stell,” John Paulo called, tightening his grip on Stell's fingers to slow him down.

“Yeah?” Stell asked hesitantly.

“I want to come,” he insisted.

“Really?” Stell asked nervously.

“Hmm,” John Paulo agreed. “Your friends are important to you and you’re important to me so in turn, your friends are also important to me. It’s like the transitive property of equality,” he explained seriously.

Stell's lips twitched at John Paulo's explanation, trying to stop himself from breaking out into a laugh. “Don’t use mathematics to cover up your cheesiness,” Stell smiled. “Thanks though,” he added, bumping his shoulder against John Paulo's slightly.

“Whatever, I’m just surprised you knew what I was talking about,” John Paulo teased.

“Are you calling me simple minded again?” Stell narrowed his eyes. Although unlike the last time, there was no real doubt in his mind that John Paulo was joking.

“Stell…” John Paulo started off nervously.

“I’m just kidding,” Stell chuckled. “You should have seen your face though,” he smiled, placing a quick kiss to John Paulo's cheek to lessen his frown. “I feel like we should start a game. How about every time you unintentionally call me stupid, you have to throw out some of your instant coffee until it’s all gone,” he joked.

“That’s a terrible game,” John Paulo concluded. “Besides, I already replaced all the instant coffee in my apartment with ‘better stuff’. I even got a small coffee maker so the next time you’re over you won’t complain,” he shrugged nonchalantly.

Stell's eyes widened at the declaration. “What? When did you do that? You had all that instant coffee just Sunday!” he exclaimed.

John Paulo rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand sheepishly. “My mom brought it over. She came by to visit me yesterday and I may or may not have mentioned it to her over the phone the last time I spoke to her. I didn’t know she was going to bring it but I couldn’t exactly tell her to take it back once I found out she went through the trouble of buying me what I asked for,” he admitted awkwardly.

“The instant coffee will stay until I finish it. But the next time you’re over and want coffee you’ll have nothing to complain about,” he insisted.

Despite his rough words, the slight hesitancy in his tone was what gave John Paulo away. Stell grinned brightly at him and was pleased to see that his smile was returned wholeheartedly.

“You act like I’m such a nuisance but then you go out of your way to get me what I want anyway,” Stell said nervously, giving John Paulo's hand a quick squeeze. “I didn’t know your mom was coming to visit you yesterday?” he added not so casually.

They had eaten lunch with one another yesterday and yet, John Paulo hadn’t mentioned a thing about his mom coming to see him later that day. The joy he felt at knowing John Paulo had taken his request for better coffee seriously was overshadowed by the fact that he had conveniently left out one of his parents coming to visit him.

“I didn’t know she was coming either,” he said seriously, shaking Stell out of his self-deprecating thoughts. “I’d have told you if I did,” he continued.

Stell tilted his head thoughtfully in John Paulo's direction.

“I hate that you can read me so well,” he chuckled nervously. Some of his earlier self-doubt had been replaced though by John Paulo's soothing words.

John Paulo smiled at him in response. “Well I don’t. You turn too quiet when you’re thinking negatively,” he stated bluntly. Stell felt his cheeks heat up at that. “You can tell me if something’s bothering you,” he added shyly. Before Stell could comment, he changed the subject, as if he hadn’t just said something so sweet. “Anyway, she was only here for twenty minutes at best because she had a meeting to go to. Next time she’s in the city though, you should meet her… I mean, if you want,” John Paulo added.

“Really?” Stell smiled.

He hadn’t known John Paulo for that long but the fact that he wanted Stell to meet his mom was a nice gesture that caused a warm feeling to spread through his entire body.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “Actually, I told her about you so she probably won’t stop bugging me until I let her meet you anyway,” he said embarrassedly.

“I’d love that,” Stell confirmed, trying to ignore the way his heart fluttered.

He would have been lying if he said that he wasn’t happy about the fact that John Paulo had told his mom about Stell. It reminded him again that this was real and that John Paulo liked him enough to tell his mom about him and offer to let Stell meet her the next time she had the chance to visit.

It made Stell far happier than he could have imagined. He gripped John Paulo's hand impossibly tighter between his and maintained the grip for the rest of their walk home.

And when they arrived at Stell's apartment, he reluctantly bid the other man goodbye. Stell hadn’t even know John Paulo for more than a month now, but he couldn’t imagine how his year would have gone if he hadn’t met him when he had.

It took a lot longer than a few quick kisses but eventually, John Paulo moved away to let Stell go home and go to sleep so that he could do the same. Stell watched him walk down the stairs, body leaning against the bannister like he usually did while John Paulo made it down. And once John Paulo was on the ground again, he turned around to wave up at Stell once more, bright grin in place just like he always did.

Stell waited for John Paulo figure to retreat past the corner of the block before he opened the door to his own apartment, uncomfortably hard but far cheerier than he thought it was possible for him to feel.

Something about John Paulo always put a ridiculously large smile on his face, and Stell was getting far too used to feeling the way he did around the other man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited for Stell to meet Tita Grace!!! What do you think will happen?


	15. Coffee Prince Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: THIS CHAPTER IS N-17 and/or R-18 !!!
> 
> another attempt haha art museum visit aka stelljun get a room

The day of Justin and Charles' art show was stressful, to say the least. Stell hadn’t seen much of John Paulo for the rest of the week. The last time they had actually spent more than five minutes with one another had been Tuesday night when John Paulo had walked Stell home after his shift.

In all honesty, Stell hated it. Their relationship was new. He wished that they could spend more time together, but it was almost impossible with John Paulo's schedule for the week. The only thing Stell could do at that point was hope that things would calm down a little in the upcoming days, and look forward to the fact that they at least had this Friday night to spend with one another. 

But not having seen John Paulo for the past three days, and not having much communication with him either put Stell on edge. Especially because Ken and John Paulo didn’t end class until 7 pm every Friday. Stell didn’t know how long it was going to take them to get to the art museum after that, since it was on a different campus. 

At least Justin knew how Stell felt in some ways, because even though he and Ken lived together, he was also feeling the absent boyfriend syndrome. He could have gone ahead without Ken and John Paulo. In fact they were told to go on ahead. But he decided to wait for the two men, which made Stell panic a little because he hated being late.

Thankfully, John Paulo was courteous enough to offer them all a ride to the venue, which meant he wasn’t going to be drinking but he said he didn’t mind. It was more than likely his way of giving Stell some peace of mind, which he refused to admit, but Stell was grateful for anyway.

The exhibit was a small event, with only the close friends and family of the artists whose work was on display but it was fun and Stell was glad he came. He enjoyed being able to see Justin's work on display. His friend was talented and Stell was happy to be able to support him.

He also didn’t mind seeing John Paulo so well dressed either. His boyfriend was sporting a charcoal grey coloured suit, a white collared shirt and a black tie that made his brown eyes appear brighter under the smoking colour against his smooth skin. Stell didn’t think anything could have been more fitting, and he was sure to let John Paulo know just how hot he looked.

John Paulo wholly returned the affection Stell felt, pulling Stell's face towards his every time they had a bit of privacy, taking Stell's hand in his own and tugging him down secluded corridors and behind black curtains separating the various areas from one another. 

“Sejun, you’re going to ruin my suit,” Stell had complained on more than one occasion, but he was always met with a light nip to his bottom lip, which left him quivering, and pressing into John Paulo to deepen the kiss, the action at odds with his protest. 

He couldn’t bring himself to care if the jacket of his dark navy suit got wrinkled, or if his purple tie became loose – not when John Paulo was paying him so much attention. 

They happened to get caught on more than one occasion as well, which wasn’t exactly ideal when the people who caught them were art professors. At least, Stell didn’t have to deal with them in classes. But that didn’t stop him from blushing at their intense, disapproving stares. 

“Can you keep it in your pants for ten seconds, Stell?” Justin sighed when John Paulo and Stell came to visit him at his stand after having disappeared into a supply closet to make out. 

“Why are you only scolding me? What about Sejun?” Stell jerked his thumb in John Paulo's direction. He was met by a gentle squeeze to the hand they had clasped together, which only made Stell lose his affronted look, and smile endearingly at his boyfriend instead. 

“You’re really convincing there,” Justin rolled his eyes. “And I had three professors complain to me about my guests being inappropriate,” he chided, 

“You sure they weren’t talking about JP?” John Paulo chuckled, pointing to the left where JP was currently observing a Charles' sculpture far too closely. The artist looked mildly afraid that JP would tip the piece over but he also didn’t want to touch it so he kept a nervous gaze on JP while he observed. 

“Actually, I can’t argue with that,” Justin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers exasperatedly. “But you two, stop touching each other inappropriately,” Justin scolded, making Stell and John Paulo blush aptly. 

“Sorry Jah, Sejun looks too hot like this, I can’t keep my hands off of him,” Stell sighed dramatically, despite the embarrassment. 

“Stell??” John Paulo shook his head in warning, although he didn’t look very upset with the comment. In fact, if Stell didn’t know any better he would have said that John Paulo actually looked pleased with the compliment. 

And why shouldn’t he? Stell was being honest when he said he couldn’t keep his hands off of his boyfriend. Stell had been admiring the well-fitting suit all night. He especially loved the way his trousers hugged his ass and if they weren’t in public, Stell might have reached out to squeeze his cheeks between his palms. 

“Hey, stop spacing out,” John Paulo prodded, vaulting Stell back to reality. “What were you thinking about?” he frowned. 

“Your ass,” Stell answered without missing a beat.

“Stell??!” John Paulo hissed while Justin groaned. It was just too easy to embarrass John Paulo in public, and Stell's lack of filter when it came to his friends also didn’t help in that department.

“Both of you are just as bad as the other. You’re so gross,” Justin rolled his eyes, but his words held nothing but affection.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if it was Ken,” Stell reminded. “Want me to make it happen?”

“You know my answer hasn’t changed,” Justin replied pointedly. Stell shot him a sheepish look in apology and Justin's gaze softened. “Are you enjoying the event?” he asked them, changing the topic expertly.

“It’s engaging,” John Paulo answered, before Stell could protest about his obvious avoidance. 

Nodding towards Justin's work on the right, John Paulo continued. “Is that style supposed to be impressionism? I can’t tell if it is or not, because the pale colour palette is right and I can see the patches of paint coming together but you’ve also got something else going on that I can’t exactly put my finger on,” he commented. 

“You know about art?” Justin asked amusedly. 

“A little,” John Paulo shrugged, clearly embarrassed by the question. “My mom’s a bit of an art fanatic so I picked up on a few things over dinner conversations,” he admitted. 

“Well, you’re not far off. I was trying to incorporate my own style into impressionism, considering the movement is all but dead. I thought if I added a bit more life to it, my professors would be impressed and well, they seem to like it enough to want me to display it here,” he smiled. “Want me to walk you through it?” Justin asked.

John Paulo nodded, which made Justin's usually reserved smile widen. Stell listened as Justin explained his thought process and the details of his painting to John Paulo while the other man listened attentively. 

It subjectively made Justin happy to know someone in his group of friends was genuinely interested in his work. But all Stell could think about as he watched his friend and his boyfriend deep in conversation was how damn awe-inspiring John Paulo was. 

He constantly blew Stell away with his intelligence and his charm. 

“Did you eat?” Justin asked once he had finished explaining both of his works to John Paulo.

“We caught some of the hors d’oeuvres that have been roaming around,” John Paulo confirmed.

“Oh, there should be a table near the back of the hall with more solid food. I know those things are small and the waiters are so picky with how much they let a person take,” Justin laughed. 

“Thanks, Jah. We’ll see you later then,” Stell smiled before looping his arm through John Paulo's and pulling the other man in the direction of the table that Justin had described. If he was being honest, he was a little hungry.

“You’re pretty cool, you know that?” Stell asked absentmindedly as he weaved through the crowd of people with John Paulo at his side. 

“What are you talking about?” John Paulo asked, face wrinkled in confusion. 

“The way you were talking to Justin about his work was more than just you picking stuff up, over the years,” he chuckled. “But even if it was, that’s impressive that it stuck with you for so long,” Stell complimented.

“Thanks,” John Paulo accepted humbly. Stell laughed at his reaction, sliding his arm down so that he could hold John Paulo's hand between his instead. 

When they reached the dinner table, Stell was pleased to see that there was more food than the appetizers he did not get a chance to fill his stomach on earlier.

“Here,” John Paulo offered a glass of champagne to Stell, but he shook his head at the offer, making John Paulo frown. “You’re not drinking?” he asked. 

“Nah,” Stell denied. “I’ll stick to a sober night, thank you very much,” he smiled. 

John Paulo shrugged, before handing a plate to Stell for him to fill up. “I mean, I don’t care, but why tonight?”

Stell tilted his head in John Paulo's direction thoughtfully before his lips quirked up in a half-smile. “Sejun doesn’t like to touch me too much when he’s sober and I’m not,” Stell responded, fighting the full-fledged smile that threatened to break out at the embarrassed reaction from John Paulo. 

John Paulo opened his mouth but Stell shook his head, cutting him off before he had the chance to protest. “I don’t mind. It’s sweet, actually, how caring you are,” Stell smiled, before leaning in so that only John Paulo could hear the next few words. “But I don’t want you to be caring tonight. I want you to fuck me. You promised you would the next time we were free and I don’t have any plans for the rest of the night so if you do, you had better cancel them.”

“Holy shit,” John Paulp gaped, almost dropping the plate in his hand. “Fuck dinner, I’m taking you home right now,” he said seriously, putting the plate aside.

Stell giggled at the reaction, shaking his head. “Nu-uh, I’m hungry,” he insisted, picking the plate John Paulo had put down back up and handing it over to the other man. John Paulo didn’t look very pleased with Stell's antics, but he accepted the dish begrudgingly, filling it very lightly and quickly.

Stell on the other hand, took far too long deciding between the different finger foods that eventually, John Paulo got so annoyed with him that he filled the plate up for Stell. 

“Stop frowning, Sejun,” Stell poked his finger right in the spot where John Paulo's cheeks caved in to form dimples when he smiled. He wasn’t smiling right now though; he honestly looked like he was torn between wanting to punch Stell and kiss him, which just made the teasing all the more fun. 

“Then stop making me frown. Just hurry up and eat your food so we can go,” he urged. 

“Why? Did I make you all hot and bothered?” Stell grinned.

“What do you think?” John Paulo deadpanned. He picked up a piece of chicken ball off of Stell's plate and popped it into his own mouth in an attempt to make Stell finish faster. The only thing that served to do was make Stell slow down the rest of his meal, pulling his plate to the side so John Paulo couldn’t grab anything else off of it. 

John Paulo groaned in frustration, but didn’t push Stell further. If Stell was being honest, he wasn’t sure where the resolve not to dump everything on the ground and pull off John Paulo's clothes right there was coming from. Somehow though, he had a feeling that riling John Paulo up was going to make his night way more interesting. 

When Stell finally finished his food and they bid goodbye to their friends, Stell wasn’t disappointed to feel John Paulo's hands dipping low on his back even before they got back to the car.

“Wait, are we supposed to drive Ken and Justin back with us?” 

“Already asked, they said we could go ahead.” John Paulo responded gruffly, pulling Stell towards the car at an alarmingly fast pace. 

“Slow down, Sejun,” Stell tinkered. 

“This is your fault,” John Paulo responded dully, squeezing Stell's hand between his once before opening the car door for Stell to get in. 

When he got in on the other side, Stell waited for John Paulo to start the car before he not so subtly trailed his fingers over John Paulo's thighs, inching his hand higher until he could palm John Paulo over his pants. He let out a content hum at knowing John Paulo was already semi-hard from just the mention of the rest of their night. 

John Paulo inhaled sharply and didn’t push him away, so Stell continued to slowly rub his hand over John Paulo's tightening erection. He moved his hand over the length of his cock before feeling his balls underneath. They weren’t very easy to grip with the material of John Paulo's pants closing them off, but Stell still managed to pull a hiss out of John Paulo as he cupped them lightly between his nimble fingers. 

“You better not crash,” Stell warned before ducking his head down to mouth over John Paulo's strained front.

“Fuck,” John Paulo cursed, gripping the steering wheel tightly between his hands. He figured that at that moment, having Stell's attention focused on his front was far more distracting than alcohol ever would have been. 

He should have pulled Stell away – should have made Stell wait until they got back to his apartment, but he didn’t seem to have the self control to pull his boyfriend’s mouth off of his clothed erection. Especially not when Stell started to moan against him, licking his tongue over the material, wetting his pants so much that John Paulo was certain he’d have to pay the drycleaner extra to get off the obscenity.

Stell didn’t seem to care that he was making a mess of John Paulo's pants and really, John Paulo didn’t care much either.

When they stopped at a red light, John Paulo pulled one hand away from the steering wheel to card through Stell's hair absentmindedly, moving some of his stray hair away from his face before pushing his head deeper against his front, which was a terrible idea but one that his brain didn’t seem to be able to stop his hand from doing anyway.

Stell's muffled moan caught against John Paulo's dick and he felt the vibration run through his entire body. It was like Stell's heavenly voice was an echo and his limbs were a cave, because the moan reverberated off of him, running through his veins, making every part of him it touched feel like it was on fire. 

But it wasn’t enough. 

John Paulo was apparently a masochist because as painful as it was to watch Stell mouth over his clothed cock without being able to do anything about it, the feeling of restraint was also more than just a little thrilling. 

“Sejun’s so impatient,” Stell commented offhandedly, pulling his face away from John Paulo's front – just enough to flip his head sideways and stare into John Paulo's blown pupils. From this angle, Stell's eyes were shining, and John Paulo wanted nothing more than to watch that same expression come undone under him. 

The action didn’t put Stell off – if anything, it just encouraged him to continue mouthing against John Paulo's front.

If he thought that the drive to his apartment was bad, John Paulo was sorely mistaken. The moment he parked, Stell couldn’t keep his hands off of him. Not that Stell had been trying to keep his hands off of John Paulo before.

But with the privacy of the parking lot and the full attention of John Paulo on Stell instead of the road, Stell figured he could turn the seduction up a notch.

He crawled into John Paulo's lap before the other man even had the chance to exit the car and pulled his face towards him, hand wrapped around his black tie for leverage. The kiss was anything but chaste; it was messy, all tongue and teeth and left Stell panting against John Paulo's mouth in mere seconds. He sloppily met John Paulo's tongue with his own, sucking on it to swallow the moan that John Paulo made when he did so. 

John Paulo wanted nothing more than to get out of the car and take Stell back up to his apartment. But Stell was making it very difficult for John Paulo to think straight when he rubbed himself against John Paulo's front so roughly – like he was trying to get off right there in the car. 

John Paulo wanted to chastise Stell for being impatient – use his own words against him. But all he could do was rhythmically meet Stell's hips with his own, grunting his approval every time their strained cocks hit each other just right through the material of their slacks.

“Stell,” John Paulo sighed eventually, pulling away from Stell with one last slow lick to the roof of his mouth. “Let’s go back to my apartment and I’ll make you feel so good you won’t even miss these few minutes it’ll take to get there,” he promised. 

Stell hummed, pressing a harsh kiss to John Paulo's lips before reaching out to open the door. He grinned wickedly and stepped out, making sure to crawl over John Paulo's lap and give the man a perfect view of his ass as he did so. 

He knew his plan had worked when John Paulo stepped out behind him and instead of taking Stell's hand in his own like he usually did, his hand brushed past the hem of Stell's suit jacket to palm his ass tightly. 

“Oh,” Stell moaned, unable to stop himself from pushing back against the feeling. John Paulo slipped his fingers between Stell's cheeks before running them slowly up and down the length of his ass, making Stell groan in pleasure. But almost as quickly as John Paulo's hand had been caressing his behind, it was gone. 

Stell turned around to glare at John Paulo's gall, but his boyfriend shrugged indifferently before shutting the car door behind them and leading Stell up to his apartment. Despite the fact that John Paulo was so turned on that he wouldn’t have minded fucking Stell in the elevator, he kept his hands to himself, if only because there were cameras and he didn’t exactly feel like getting kicked out of his apartment for misconduct. 

“Sejun,” Stell whined breathily against him, doing enough touching for the both of them. Stell slipped his hand beneath John Paulo's tucked dress shirt, pulling it over his pants so that he could trace the lines of John Paulo's abs with his fingers.

“I really want to blow you right now. Your pants are so tight, I bet you’ll come with just a few strokes – what do you think?” he asked, licking against the length of John Paulo's neck before blowing on it softly. 

The cool air made John Paulo shudder just as much as Stell's words did. “I promise to be clean, I’ll even swallow,” Stell continued, pressing a wet kiss right under John Paulo's earlobe, using his teeth to break the skin easily. 

John Paulo wasn’t given the chance to reply – not that he could have even come up with a coherent reply to Stell's bold suggestion. The elevator dinged to signal they had reached the seventh floor and John Paulo quickly moved away from Stell before grabbing his wrist and pulling him in tow. 

It took him a couple of tries to open the door with the way Stell was practically hanging off of his shoulders, kissing his neck and cheek wetly, whispering lewd suggestions into his ear as he did so. When he finally did manage to open the door, he hastily, took off his shoes, all while trying to balance Stell's weight that was still hanging off him like a koala. 

“Take your shoes off,” John Paulo ordered, but when Stell didn’t so much as budge, John Paulo kicked them off of Stell's feet for him. Stell was comfortably wrapped over John Paulo's shoulder and the other man knew better than to try and shrug Stell off. 

Instead of arguing with him, John Paulo dragged the weight of his boyfriend down the hall before opening the bedroom door. He detangled himself from under Stell's arms to drop him on the bed. The action took Stell by surprise and he let out a startled ‘oh.’ 

John Pauli was on him the moment Stell's back landed against the bed, giving Stell more reason to let out his choked whimpers.

His hair was swept to the side, framing his face; it emphasized his pink blush, making Stell look more beautiful in John Paulo's view. Stell smiled up at John Paulo, reaching his fingers to thread between John Paulo's soft hair, and John Paulo was weak to do anything but comply. 

“I was being serious before,” Stell said between kisses, moving his neck to the side to give John Paulo better access to it. He seemed keen on littering Stell's neck with marks and while Stell would have minded on any other occasion, he didn’t want John Paulo to stop. The way his smooth lips felt against his skin had Stell closing his eyes and leaning into the touch.

His fingers played with the jacket of John Paulo's suit as he tried to get it off John Paulo's arms. “What?” John Paulo asked distractedly, too focused on kissing Stell while simultaneously trying to get his shirt off. 

He threw it open, loosened the tie, and moved it to the side, not even bothering to get it off all the way before he moved his mouth away from Stell's neck and started a trail of kisses from his clavicle down his sternum, all the way below his navel where his fingers fumbled with the button of Stell's pants. 

“Let me blow you,” Stell insisted, voice strained from trying to hold back a moan at feeling John Paulo's mouth and fingers all over his body. 

John Paulo shook his head in denial. “I meant what I said earlier too. I want to make you feel good, Stell,” he promised, nudging the pants off of Stell's hips.

Stell opened his mouth to protest once the offending article was out of the way, but John Paulo cut off his objection with a light nip to his hips followed by a kiss to soothe the sting. He tugged the rest of Stell's clothes off his body, leaving him only in a pair of tight black boxer briefs.

“Flip over,” John Paulo instructed, nudging Stell's hips lightly. Stell frowned at the demand, but he did it all the same. He heard John Paulo rustle in his bedside cabinet for a few moments before he pulled out a bottle of lube and a condom. Stell expected him to open the bottle but instead, he discarded it to the side along with the foil packet and turned his attention back to Stell's neck. 

He pressed kisses down the length of Stell's spine, using his fingers to trace the parts of his back that John Paulo wasn’t able to touch with his lips. He felt Stell squirm beneath him impatiently, but John Paulo had different plans. 

It took far too long, in Stell's opinion, for John Paulo to make it down his back. He felt John Paulo kiss every beauty mark, ghost his lips across every bone, press his fingers across every expanse of skin as he made his way down. When John Paulo's lips met the dip of Stell's spine, he expected the other man to move back up, but instead, he pressed a soft kiss to Stell's ass before baring his teeth and biting down lightly over the material of Stell's boxer briefs. 

“Hnngh, Sejun,” Stell scolded, face bright, as much from embarrassment as from surprise. 

“Didn't like that?” he questioned cheekily, voice muffled against Stell's ass, mouthing against it hotly over the fabric. 

“It's not that,” Stell insisted shakily. “I just – shit,” Stell cursed when he felt John Paulo slide the remaining article of clothing off his hips. Whatever he was going to say died on his lips as John Paulo licked a line from the top of his ass where his cheeks parted all the way to his rim. 

“Fuck, fuck,” Stell breathed deeply when John Paulo licked back up. The feeling was unlike anything Stell had ever experienced and he hadn't been expecting it all, which made his nerves all the more sensitive to John Paulo's talented tongue.

John Paulo dug his fingers into Stell's hips, holding them in place so that he couldn't suddenly move backwards. He used his thumbs to spread his cheeks apart, giving him better access to Stell's entrance. He started off slowly licking around his hole, moving his tongue leisurely, much to Stell's dismay. 

He wanted John Paulo to hurry up, but John Paulo had plans to tease Stell as much as he could. He continued to lave around the tight ring of muscle, occasionally dipping his tongue shallowly in his hole but never deep enough to make Stell really cry out. 

“Sejun, don’t tease,” Stell panted, throwing a dirty look over his shoulder, which didn’t look as intimidating as he may have wanted when he was sweating and naked – and entirely flushed. 

John Paulo gave him an expressionless look in response, before moving his mouth back down to his ass. When John Paulo finally sucked against the rim, Stell was grateful that he had John Paulo's fingers on his hips because he couldn't help himself from grinding back against his boyfriend’s face. 

He was an embarrassing mess of moans and pants as John Paulo continued to suck. When he slid his tongue into the open space, wet from saliva, Stell practically keened at the touch. 

“Sejun, please, please,” he begged incoherently, trying and failing to move against the bed like he wanted to with John Paulo's hands holding him in place. 

“Please what?” John Paulo grinned, pulling away from his ass and moving up to take the discarded lube in his hands. He opened the bottle and squirted it generously on his fingers, testing out the friction between them before pouring more liquid from the bottle, straight onto Stell's twitching hole. 

Stell squirmed against the coldness of the lube on his skin. He glared over his shoulder once again at John Paulo, but his boyfriend just shrugged his shoulders before chuckling lightly as he continued to move his fingers against one another instead of actually touching Stell. 

“You're going to have to tell me what you want me to do,” he prompted, when Stell narrowed his eyes but didn’t speak up. 

“Not fair,” Stell complained, closing his eyes. “Sejun doesn't play fair. You said you'd make me feel good but all you're doing is making me beg,” Stell sniffed.

John Paulo had made him feel good but Stell had never been the best at having his patience tested. He liked being in control and at the moment, he was anything but. He was trying to rile John Paulo up so that maybe his boyfriend would speed up his pace. 

John Paulo didn't seem to like the idea that Stell wasn’t feeling good because he frowned deeply before easing two of his fingers into Stell's slightly stretched hole, giving him what he asked for.

“Aghh, Sejun, more,” Stell begged, rocking his hips back as he tried to find some kind of friction, whether it was against John Paulo's fingers or against the bed sheets. He needed something to bring him over the edge.

“Oh, so now you want to beg, huh?” John Paulo teased, watching the way Stell pushed back against his fingers. 

John Paulo wasn't keen on letting Stell come like that though. He curled his fingers inside Stell, rubbing against his twitching skin before reaching around to clamp his hand around the base of Stell's cock, cutting off whatever orgasm was in its reaches. 

“Why'd you do that?” Stell hissed. 

“Because it would be a waste to make you come like that, don't you think? I want to see you,” John Paulo said seriously. “I want to look at the way your face twists as you come with me inside you,” he whispered, brushing the loose hair at Stell's nape away from his sweaty skin. 

He brought his mouth down and pressed a gentle kiss to the newly bared skin. “You'd like that much better, wouldn't you? You’d look so good like that.”

“Yes,” Stell replied immediately. “Please, let me come on your cock, please,” he asked, not caring about losing his composure. 

All that cool collection and arrogance he had displayed back at the museum was gone. At the moment, all Stell could think about was feeling John Paulo's length inside him. And that thought alone was enough to make him keen into the bed sheets. He rutted against them helplessly but John Paulo was there to stop the pressure from building up in his cock once again. 

Stell felt John Paulo scissor his fingers, sliding them against his walls a few times before he added a third, gently nipping at Stell's neck to distract him from the stretch. He cried out again, dropping his head against the bed as he tried to hide his embarrassment from the sounds he was making. 

“More, please more,” Stell pleaded, ignoring the way his face felt like it was going to melt off. His arms felt like jelly beneath him and John Paulo hadn’t even given Stell what he asked for yet. 

If it wasn’t for John Paulo's hand that was wrapped securely around the base of his dick, Stell was sure he would have come already by then. The way John Paulo was mercilessly gliding his fingers inside Stell, stretching every time he thrust up had Stell clutching the bed sheets beneath him for some kind of purchase. 

“You good?” John Paulo asked eventually. 

“I was good five minutes ago,” Stell deadpanned. “Come on Sejun, fuck me,” he demanded impatiently. 

John Paulo held back a chuckle as he withdrew his fingers. He coated what was left of the lube on them around his dick after he had pulled on a condom. “Turn around, baby, I told you I want to see you.” John Paulo coaxed, shifting Stell to lie onto his back. 

Stell wouldn't have complained if John Paulo wanted to take him from behind because fuck if he would ever complain about sex with John Paulo. Still, he couldn't help but smile at the fact that John Paulo wanted to look at him the first time they went all the way. 

“You really are beautiful, you know that?” John Paulo asked, voice characteristically soft for the setting. He pushed Stell's bangs out of his face, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips before leaning in slowly. Stell could feel the head of John Paulo's erection pressed against his entrance and he let out a breathy chuckle – a mixture of embarrassment and want. 

Stell's face shined with a renewed dusting of pink, which John Paulo kissed again, deeper this time, before he eased into Stell's prepped hole. “Shit, how are you still so tight?” John Paulo asked, clenching the sheets beneath him to physically stop himself from moving into Stell immediately. 

He heard Stell laugh shakily beneath him. “You can move,” he urged. To prove his point, Stell slid down against John Paulo, pushing his cock deeper inside. 

John Paulo hesitated at the action. Stell brought his hand up to weave into John Paulo's hair as he pulled the other man down again, in a searing kiss. “Sejun, please move,” he whispered gently. 

That was all the coaxing John Paulo needed. He started off slow, making sure Stell was okay beneath him because despite his whines and breathy whispers of ‘Sejun’, he was still far too tight around John Paulo. But once Stell started clawing at his back, gripping his biceps tightly to pull John Paulo down on top of him, sliding his hips down to meet every thrust, John Paulo couldn't hold his composure any longer. 

He picked up his pace, almost crushingly so, until the only sounds in the room were his pelvis slapping against Stell's ass and a collection of shallow moans with every thrust. Stell was panting against him, and John Paulo wasn’t doing much better. 

He sloppily kissed Stell as he continued to press into him deeply, squeezing his eyes shut around the pressure before he remembered to open them again so he could take in the sight of Stell looking beautiful and enraptured beneath him. 

Even when they broke away from the lack of air, John Paulo busied his lips against Stell's jaw, his neck, his chest – anywhere he could touch, all while keeping a steady rhythm between them. 

“John Paulo, I'm so close,” Stell whispered bringing John Paulo's face close enough for him to kiss once again. One hand dug into John Paulo's arms tightly while the other gripped the back of his head, keeping John Paulo's gaze locked with his own. 

“You feel so good,” John Paulo whispered, breath catching at the sight of Stell's glowing face, twisted in pleasure. “Almost there, baby,” he promised, pushing Stell's legs apart wider, hooking them over his shoulder so he could press in deeper until he found what he was looking for. 

The stimulation had Stell crying out and John Paulo keening with the way Stell clenched around him so suddenly in response. 

“Shit.” His rhythm stuttered enough to get Stell resituated in the new position. 

John Paulo lowered his whole body flush against Stell's, leaving just enough space for him to fit his hand snugly around Stell's cock. He jerked at it in time with his own thrusts, which were getting increasingly erratic. It didn't take John Paulo long to make Stell come and seeing Stell's blissed out face underneath him had John Paulo following not too much later. 

“Sej – Paulo – don’t stop,” Stell demanded breathily, cheeks flushed from the exertion but his expression was determined. John Paulo was weak to do anything but oblige as he fucked Stell through his orgasm, riding out his own inside of him. 

“Fuck, you feel amazing,” John Paulo shuddered a laugh, pouring the rest of his feelings into a kiss.

The sensation of Stell's walls tightening around his cock as he emptied himself stayed with him even after he was done. The damn pressure made John Paulo feel like he was running out of oxygen, or maybe that was due to Stell's breathtakingly beautiful face staring up at him so sincerely. 

He pulled out slowly once they had both stopped twitching around one another. Stell jerked at the feeling of John Paulo leaving him, but he didn't have much to complain about. He felt far too euphoric that he didn't even protest when John Paulo immediately got up off the bed to clean himself off. He came back moments later with a towel, which he used to silently wipe Stell's stomach and cock before discarding it into the laundry hamper. 

When he got into bed, Stell immediately latched on to John Paulo's side, pressing his face as close as possible to John Paulo's chest. John Paulo brought one hand to wrap around Stell's hips while the other played with his hair absentmindedly. 

“You were right,” Stell sighed happily after a while, breaking the comfortable silence between them. 

“Hmm? About what?” John Paulo asked sleepily, getting lost in the mesmerizing rhythm of running his fingers through Stell's soft hair. 

“About making me feel good,” he grinned, pushing himself up on one elbow to see the way John Paulo'a face visibly reddened. 

“Go to sleep,” John Paulo coughed, pushing Stell's smug face away from him. 

“Why are you embarrassed now? You were so determined in bed, Sejun, you know that? My ass – hell, my everything – is going to be so sore tomorrow and I'm going to tell everyone why,” he said much too happily to be a threat. 

“Don't you dare!!!” John Paulo responded immediately. 

“Why not?” Stell asked with indifferent innocence. 

“I don't want to be the couple who everyone hates because they offer too much information about their sex life.”

“Ooh, do we have a sex life now?” Stell teased. “I don't mind,” he nodded when he saw John Paulo's face grow redder. “I like the way Sejun feels inside me. So large and full – kind of makes me not want to let go,” he sighed teasingly. 

“Stell, shut up,” John Paulo grumbled, tossing a spare pillow across Stell"s face to shut him up. All that did was earn a few squeals of protest, which John Paulo was more than happy to turn around and kiss away. 

Stell wrinkled his nose in displeasure as the pillow was removed off his face but the putout expression was instantly replaced by a happy one when he felt John Paulo's lips against his own. 

“Goodnight, Sejun,” Stell mumbled sleepily when they pulled apart, jaw aching from the kiss and the permanently large smile that John Paulo always left on him. 

“Sweet dreams, Stell,” John Paulo responded, pulling Stell into his chest mechanically. 

They wrapped themselves in one another naturally even though they had only slept in the same bed together a spare number of times. Stell didn't think much of it at all though – especially not when his ear fell across John Paulo's chest and he lost himself to sleep with the sound of John Paulo's steadily beating heart that was in sync with his own. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ヽ(;ﾟ;Д;ﾟ;; ) don't sue me haha
> 
> feedback? comments?
> 
> \-----
> 
> shameless plug: if you haven't read my first completed work please check it out (Faded Memories) https://archiveofourown.org/works/24176413


	16. Coffee Prince Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit NC-17 and/or R-18 !!!
> 
> Disclaimer: Not in any way related to the agency and talents. No harm intended. Fictionです

The end of the month was an incredibly busy time for both Stell and John Paulo. With the first half of the semester coming to an end, the assignments had increased to an unthinkable rate and their midterm exams were fast approaching. At first, it seemed far away but as soon as the first week was over, the realization hit Stell like a freight train and his brain shifted gears from carefree to focused. If he wasn't working at Coffee Prince, he was busy studying, or preparing his mid-semester presentations.

Stell's business proposal class was the best and worst course he had to take in his opinion. Not only was it the hardest, but it was also the one that he had to take every year and the work just got more difficult with the changing course numbers.

While it gave him a lot of knowledge and insight on types of businesses and how best to attract customers or target an audience, it was also the class with the heaviest course load. And a large chunk of his grade for the course came from the business fair presentations that he’d have to participate in at the end of the school year.

While they were still only a quarter of the way into the year, their professor had already started to grind them on their eventual proposals and teams. Stell would be lying if he said he didn't feel the pressure but after his bold declaration to Keith, which he hadn't forgotten, he was determined to come out on top this year. 

John Paulo didn't seem to mind that Stell was busy, and if he did, he didn't voice his opinion. Stell assumed it was the former considering he had been buried under his own pile of schoolwork himself. If it wasn't for the fact that Stell was just as busy as his boyfriend was, he would have been a tad bit bothered by their lack of communication. It was nice though, that their schedules weren't too far off and sometimes, even though they didn’t speak to one another during the time, they still studied together. 

The company was appreciated, even if Stell was tempted to reach over and kiss John Paulo every time he so much as frowned at the difficult work in front of him. But that was why they studied in the library if they did study together. The public space and the hawk-eyed librarian that circled the study tables religiously kept them both in check, which was exactly what they needed. 

It was a weird schedule, one that wasn't suitable for everyone but somehow they made it work. Between studying and classes, they didn't really have time to miss one another, which was why after his last exam, Stell couldn't help but realize just how little conversation he had actually had with John Paulo over the past three weeks. 

The last time they had even hung out for the sake of seeing one another was when they had gone on that double date with Justin and Ken. After that, the workload had increased for both of them and they sort of fell into the rhythm of school and living off of short nods, quick pecks, and hums of acknowledgement in each other’s presence.

It wasn’t ideal at any rate, but they were both students and that was to be expected. Stell was just grateful that he got to at least see John Paulo during that time, even if they didn’t really speak to one another between the studying. It seemed like John Paulo's good studying habits were rubbing off on Stell, because without a willing boyfriend to distract him, Stell could do nothing but throw himself into his own work.

John Paulo's last exam had been the day before, luckily for him, so he had gone out with Ken and a couple of their classmates to celebrate. Stell knew that he was probably hungover that morning but that fact didn't stop him from taking out his phone and calling John Paulo the moment he got out of the exam hall anyway.

It was nearing noon, which probably wasn't enough time to let John Paulo rest considering Stell had gotten a very incoherent message at 4 am that morning. But he was happy to have finished his last midterm, and wanted to make up for the time that he and John Paulo had not gotten to spend with one another thanks to school. 

John Paulo didn't pick up until the last ring, voice groggy and tired, but it still made Stell's heart flutter to hear his voice. “Stell? What's wrong?” he asked warily. 

Stell had to bite back a smile because despite how tired John Paulo sounded he still picked up. It also didn’t help that John Paulo soothing voice, heavy with sleep, was sexy.

“Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk to you,” he admitted, moving down the somewhat empty path from the exam hall towards his apartment.

There were a couple of students who walked past him but most of the others had gone off in the direction of the cafeteria, eager for lunch. Stell swung his bag over his shoulder lightly, one arm tucked into the pocket of his brown khaki pants, while the other hand held his phone up to his ear steadily. 

“Uhm, it's not even noon. You couldn't have waited, I don't know, another two hours or something?” he grumbled. 

“Nu-uh.” Stell shook his head, despite the fact that John Paulo wasn't actually there to see his reaction. “We've barely talked for the past three weeks and I missed you,” he admitted, feeling his face heat up at the admission. 

John Paulo was silent for a few moments, which made Stell nervous. Had he fallen asleep? Was he angry with Stell for waking him up? Did he not like that Stell wanted to talk to him? Did he think that Stell was being clingy?

During the few beats of silence, Stell's brain had come up with at least a dozen negative scenarios. But the moment John Paulo spoke the thoughts dispelled, as if they had never been there in the first place. 

“I missed you too,” John Paulo agreed. Even with the barrier of the phone between them Stell could almost see the telltale blush on John Paulo's cheeks every time he said something affectionate. 

“Me too,” Stell said again, this time with more confidence. 

“I know, you already said that,” John Paulo laughed. Hearing his chuckle made Stell's face light up once again. He squeezed the phone tighter in his grip in an attempt to ground the giddiness that was bubbling through him. 

“Well I had to say it again in case you didn't hear me the first time. You are hungover and all,” Stell explained, knowing that his words weren't convincing at all. To his credit, John Paulo only chuckled again lightly but didn’t comment further.

“How'd your exam go?” he asked instead.

“It went well, I think. It wasn't too hard and I knew all the material so now it just depends on how well I conveyed my thoughts,” Stell smiled into the phone before asking, “How was your night?” 

“Come over and I'll tell you.” 

“Really? You probably want to go back to sleep though…” Stell trailed off, realizing that his calling John Paulo was completely selfish. 

“You know I can't sleep once I'm up,” he reminded. Stell's face fell at the admission. “And that wasn't a jab at you for calling me,” he added, soothing Stell's worries. “Come over, Stell. I want to see you.” 

Stell was torn between relief and annoyance. He still hated how John Paulo could read him like an open book despite the fact that he didn’t think he was so vulnerable in front of others. Or maybe he was subconsciously allowing John Paulo to see him exactly for who he was. None of that mattered though, at the moment.

“Okay,” Stell nodded. “Can I come over right now?” he asked hesitantly.

“That’s what I wanted, yeah. See you soon?” John Paulo asked hopefully.

“See you soon, Sejun,” Stell promised before hanging up and pocketing his phone. It was a brief conversation, but one that left a soft smile on his face all the same. John Paulo was nice, really nice and every time Stell spoke to him he was sorely reminded of this fact. He sincerely hoped he made John Paulo as happy as the other man made him. 

Despite having told John Paulo that he would be there soon, it took Stell close to forty-five minutes to get to John Paulo's apartment. He had stopped to get lunch on the way, considering he was hungry after having only coffee and half a croissant for breakfast. John Paulo was probably in need of something to chase away the hangover he more than likely had from his eventful night. 

“What took you so long?” John Paulo pouted when he opened the door for Stell. 

“Aww, you really did miss me?” Stell cooed, swooping down to place a kiss on John Paulo's steadily reddening cheeks. 

“Of course I did. I already told you that, didn't I?” John Paulo responded seriously. 

Stell stuttered for a moment at the honesty before he pulled up the grocery bag in his right hand. “I went to get lunch. I thought you might be hungry.” He swung the contents inside the bag lightly to show what he was talking about. 

“Thanks,” John Paulo smiled, features relaxing at the explanation. “What'd you get?” he questioned, pulling Stell inside and closing the door behind him. 

“Haejangguk, from that Korean place you like so much near the coffee shop. There's also bibimbap but I figured you were more interested in the first item,” he laughed. 

“You really are the best,” John Paulo thanked, taking the bag from Stell's hand and ushering him to the dining table. Stell's face lit up at the compliment and he happily let John Paulo remove the food from the containers and set the table for them.

When John Paulo sat down, Stell didn't hesitate to wrap his legs between the other man's, relishing in the warmth they brought. Even though the month had started, Stell still found himself cold at times and John Paulo was always just the perfect temperature. 

Conversation with John Paulo was always so easy, which should have been weird considering Stell didn’t really know much about him. It just made him happy because things were going well. They talked about their classes, their friends, new restaurants that were popping up, and it wasn’t uncommon to find new places to eat in the same neighbourhood every few months.

“So how was your night? Did you get blackout drunk?” he laughed, watching the way John Paulo"s face crinkled into something unreadable at the question. 

“Fuck no, I'm not that irresponsible,” he shook his head before adding, “That's for the end of the semester.” He grinned widely, making Stell roll his eyes. 

“You can't do that,” Stell complained over his mouthful of rice. 

“Why not?” John Paulo's eyebrows knit together in confusion. 

“What if you get so drunk you forget that we're dating,” Stell huffed. John Paulo laughed aloud at that, making Stell's petulant expression deepen. He lifted his nose up in the air and turned his head to the side to avoid eye contact. When John Paulo didn't stop laughing however, Stell turned back to face him with a glare. “That's not funny,” he said quietly. The sudden change in tone caused John Paulo's expression to sober up. 

“I'm sorry,” he apologized quickly, face pulled down in concern. “You looked cute, all jealous like that,” he admitted, trying and failing to hide his grin. 

“Ah, you're so mean,” Stell complained. “And I wasn’t jealous,” he added for good measure, even though it was pretty obvious that he was.

“I'd never forget we're dating,” John Paulo said seriously, breaking Stell away from the joke. “I like you too much for that,” he admitted. Stell swallowed nervously. The grip on his spoon loosened thanks to the sweat that had seeped into his palms. “What? I don't get a similar confession in return?” John Paulo teased, noticing the yielding expression on Stell's face. 

“You can't just say things like that out of nowhere and expect a reply right away,” Stell huffed. “I need some time to recover from all the cheesiness,” he huffed but they both knew that he not so secretly loved the attention, if the way his cheeks were tinted pink was anything to go by. 

“Yeah, yeah,” John Paulo rolled his eyes trying to hide his smile.

“I like you too – a lot,” Stell said suddenly, making John Paulo grin.

“Come with me next time,” John Paulo insisted. “That way you can make sure I don’t forget we’re dating and I get to show off how hot my boyfriend is and make everyone else jealous,” he smiled, much to Stell's embarrassment.

Stell's spoon clattered against the bowl and his eyes widened. “I thought you said you wouldn’t forget we were dating because you like me too much,” he said flippantly, ignoring the way his heart sped up at John Paulo's compliment.

“You’re silly,” John Paulo said affectionately. He discarded his spoon to the side and lifted the bowl of soup towards his mouth before gulping down the last remains.

“No fair, you called me stupid again,” Stell sniffed. “Your taste in coffee was the only bad thing about this place. What am I supposed to ask you to do now every time you call me unintelligent?” Stell frowned, pushing the uneaten rice away. The portion was too large for him to eat on his own, and he figured John Paulo would eat the rest of it later if he left it there for him.

“Are you trying to flirt with me? Because you really need to up your game,” John Paulo laughed, picking up the discarded utensils and walking them over to the sink, leaving a stunned Stell in his wake.

Stell gawked in protest at the reaction. “What do I need better flirting skills for when you already think I’m hot and like me so much?” Stell shot back.

John Paulo chuckled, as he washed his hands. His face was turned away from Stell but Steol could still see the red tips of his ears, which made him feel smug. He got up off the table and followed Stell into the kitchen. Instead of waiting for the other man to move away from the sink before he used it, Stell pressed his chest against John Paulo's back and maneuvered his arms around John Paulo to bring them under the running tap water.

“See, I don’t even need to say anything to make you blush,” Stell said proudly, noticing the way John Paulo's flush had spread from his ears down to his neck. “My flirting skills are stellar,” he boasted, pressing a kiss to the junction between John Paulo's neck and shoulder.

He felt the other man stiffen beneath the touch before he reached up to turn the water off. He didn’t move Stell away, instead, he grasped the towel that was hanging close by to dry his hands quietly. Stell wasn’t sure what was happening anymore, but he didn’t fight it when John Paulo took his hands and dried them on the towel too.

He liked the way John Paulo's hands felt around his, so he let himself get lost in the touch. He ran his nose against John Paulo's neck affectionately, pressing open-mouthed kisses to the skin distractedly in his wake. Stell was so focused on just being close to John Paulo that he didn’t even notice when John Paulo had finished drying their hands.

One moment, Stell was pressed against John Paulo's back, relishing in the warmth that was spreading across his front from more than just the touch and the next moment he was the one being pressed against the cupboards on the opposite side of the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Stell asked meekly, face reddening from the intensity of John Paulo's gaze on him. He was tempted to look away – the raw affection emanating off of John Paulo was almost too much for Stell to handle. But he was mesmerized by the shine of his slowly darkening eyes.

“Since you think I need to make it up to you every time I call you stupid – even if it’s unintentional – I’m doing just that,” he grinned. He held both of Stell's wrists in his own, which he didn’t fail to raise above Stell's head so he could press their bodies closer together.

“Sejun,” Stell whimpered, voice trailing off when he felt John Paulo grind down against his front. “I’d say you’re the one flirting with me now.” His words were supposed to come off as smart, but with the way John Paulo had pressed his lips into Stell's neck and was licking and sucking lightly along it made the words come out hitched instead. Stell felt John Paulo chuckle against his skin but instead of feeling embarrassed, it kind of turned him on.

“And if I am?” John Paulo retorted, ghosting his lips over Stell's. He didn’t press down, but he might as well have with the way Stell shivered at the feeling of his warm breath against his lips.

“Then I’m going to have to request we move out of the kitchen,” Stell said gently.

“Hmm, don’t want to,” John Paulo shrugged. “Kind of want to lift you up and fuck you right here,” he whispered into Stell's ear, making him shiver.

Whether it was from the touch, the words, or both was beyond him. All Stell knew was that he suddenly didn’t care that they were in the kitchen. If he got to feel John Paulo's arms holding him up while he fucked into him then who was he to forgo the opportunity?

“You better not drop me,” Stell teased.

John Paulo rolled his eyes at the suggestion, mild offense seeping into his features. But the look didn’t last for long as Stell busied himself with rubbing his front along John Paulo's growing erection. His hands were still occupied, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use the rest of his body to rile his boyfriend up.

John Paulo closed his eyes and moved against the pressure, meeting Stell's thrusts with his own. He moved away to press a kiss to Stell's lips before removing his hold on Stell's wrists so that he could pull the other man’s shirt off of him. He removed his own while he was at it before capturing Stell's wrists in his hands again.

It was warmer now considering the weather had settled in, and Stell had gone from wearing multiple layers to only a single one, which John Paulo was immensely grateful for. For one, it made undressing him easier. But besides that, he got to admire the way the fitted shirt looked on Stell's lithe and muscled torso.

But that was nothing compared to the way he looked without his shirt on. Stell may have liked to fret over John Paulo's lean muscles, but John Paulo was just as turned on by Stell's body.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you only invited me over for this,” Stell said arrogantly, but his haughty expression didn’t last for long when John Paulo's mouth attached itself to Stell's torso to trail kisses down his front.

His face twisted in pleasure, which only increased when John Paulo's mouth gently sucked at a nipple before pulling the nub between his teeth.

“Shit,” Stell breathed, bucking his hips up against John Paulo to relieve some of the pressure building up in his groin. “Sejun, let me touch you,” Stell pleaded, but John Paulo ignored his demand.

John Paulo maintained his strong grip on Stell's wrists before shaking his head. “Nope,” John Paulo said quietly, placing a kiss right above Stell's chest. “I’m going to treat you today,” he mumbled, pulling away from Stell to gaze into his eyes once more. “Besides, you look far too good squirming underneath me. I think I’m getting used to the sight of you flushed and whining.”

“Sejun’s always treating me though,” Stell complained turning his head to the side to get away from some of the embarrassment that had bloomed across his face. For having so confidently initiated this, he was turning into a mess under John Paulo's attention, which didn’t go unnoticed by his boyfriend.

John Paulo ignored Stell's comment. “I think I’ll suck you off first,” he hummed to himself, making Stell's face go impossibly redder. “Then fuck you against the wall,” he continued, licking along the trail of Stell's clavicle. “Or maybe I’ll bend you over the counter,” he whispered moving to kiss the corner of Stell's lips.

Stell was very aware of the lack of attention to his mouth, but he didn’t have it in him to protest. Not when John Paulo was paying such good attention to every other part of his body. “You’d look good either way,” he praised. “You always look good, even when you’re sweating and begging to come,” he reminded gently.

The contrast between John Paulo's words and the soft tone of voice he was using was messing with Stell's senses. He could feel himself get harder in his pants. Honestly, he didn’t care what John Paulo wanted to do anymore. He just wanted to get his damn pants off before he came in them like a pubescent boy.

“I don’t care what you do,” Stell moaned brushing his lips against John Paulo's cheek. “Just hurry up,” he demanded impatiently. The irritation in his voice made John Paulo chuckle, but before Stell could complain, John Paulo pressed his lips against Stell's, silencing whatever protest he had.

“Missed you,” John Paulo said quietly, pulling back to brush his lips across Stell's softly before capturing them again in a heated kiss.

Stell tasted kind of like the rice he had, but John Paulo didn’t mind. Not when he was too busy getting lost in the heady taste of Stell that surrounded every pore in his body. He was intoxicating in the best way and John Paulo was hyperaware of how good it felt when they were pressed up so closely against one another.

When they pulled away, Stell's cheeks were flushed and his lips were puffy and red. John Paulo stared at the arousing display long enough to commit it to memory before he pulled Stell's hands down to his side and dropped down to his knees. He mouthed at Stell's strained erection through his pants but he didn’t get much of a chance to do anything else before his untimely phone went off.

John Paulo had full intentions of ignoring it until he realized whom that ringtone belonged too. He begrudgingly pulled away from Stell and released his hands before reaching into his back pocket to fish out his phone.

Stell looked confused for a moment, then just dismayed when he noticed John Paulo read the name on his phone, instead of paying attention to him. “Are you fucking kidding me? You couldn’t have just ignored the call?” he gaped, motioning between their half-naked bodies.

John Paulo lifted the screen to show Stell the called ID, which read ‘Mama,’ before saying, “She rarely ever calls me without a warning – usually she’ll text. I’m sorry Stell, I’ve got to get this,” he apologized before picking up.

Stell couldn’t have been angry with John Paulo even if he had wanted to be. His raging boner aside, Stell could understand that John Paulo's mom was important to him. He sighed, but he didn’t complain as he watched John Paulo speak to his mother. He had actually expected the other man to move into a different room but he seemed perfectly at ease speaking to his mom with Stell right next to him.

“Yeah, he’s here,” John Paulo mumbled quietly, catching Stell's attention. Were they talking about him? He looked up towards John Paulo who just rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and gave Stell a sheepish look in apology.

“You’re what? You can’t do that,” John Paulo complained. Curiosity piqued, Stell attention remained on John Paulo whose face was steadily growing pink.

“No, wait up, Mama, don’t just say stuff like that,” John Paulo whispered into the phone. Stell couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation but he had to hold back a chuckle at what John Paulo's mom was implying if it got John Paulo that embarrassed.

“That is not what I said – you probably just didn’t hear me right,” he waved off. Stell actually laughed aloud at that one and was met by a threatening glare from John Paulo, which just made him laugh harder.

“Yeah, that’s him. He’s laughing at me thanks to you,” John Paulo grumbled. Stell looked far too pleased with himself, so John Paulo leaned in and flicked his forehead lightly. Stell pouted at the action but he didn’t have time to tease John Paulo because the other man suddenly sighed.

“Fine,” he huffed, pocketing his phone before he looked towards Stell nervously.

“What’s wrong?”

“My mom’s coming over now, as in right now,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand again.

“What?” Stell asked dazedly before coming to his senses. “I have to leave.”

“No, stay,” John Paulo insisted. “She’s actually coming right now because she wants to meet you,” he explained slowly.

“No way!” Stell shook his head firmly. “I look dishevelled, I can’t meet her like this,” he screeched, grabbing his shirt off the ground and hastily pulling it over his head. “Why did you tell her she could come now? Sejun, do you want her to dislike me or something?” he pouted, heading for the bathroom to check his appearance.

John Paulo followed Stell, pulling his own shirt over his head along the way. “Well I tried to tell her that she couldn’t come now but then she asked why and I couldn’t very well tell her the real reason, considering I had already confirmed you were here,” he said sheepishly.

Stell tutted disapprovingly, taking in how wrecked his face looked. “She’s going to hate me,” he complained.

“No she won’t,” John Paulo reassured. “Besides, this is better than her walking in unannounced, which I wouldn’t put past her to do. She insisted she get a key to this place,” he rolled his eyes.

Stell paled at the thought. While meeting John Paulo's mother under such circumstances wasn’t how Stell imagined their first time seeing other would go. He couldn’t deny that looking tousled and fully clothed was far better than looking tousled and halfway to an orgasm.

Speaking of, he looked down at his pants which were still kind of tight but the panic that had set in was starting to soften his erection.

“Please tell me it’s just your mom who is coming and not your dad too. Not that I don’t want to meet him but I feel like meeting one parent in my current state is more than enough embarrassment to last me a lifetime,” Stell groaned, trying and failing to fix his hair in the mirror.

When John Paulo didn’t respond however, Stell whipped his head back, unsure what the silence meant.

“What? He’s coming too? Great, just fucking fantastic!” Stell cried, turning back around and ducking his head down to face the sink. Maybe he could just drown himself in the bath and then he wouldn’t have to meet John Paulo's parents.

“He’s not coming,” John Paulo said suddenly, face twisted in an unreadable expression. Before Stell could ask what exactly John Paulo meant by that, he continued. “You can’t meet him, Stell,” he said firmly.

“Why not?” Stell frowned. “Is it because he doesn’t approve of you know, this?” he motioned between them. Many people, especially in the older generations still didn’t approve of homosexuality. Not that they had any say in who anyone liked, in Stell's opinion, but it wasn’t an uncommon bias, as much as Stell hated that it existed.

John Paulo shook his head. “That’s not it,” he said nervously. “You can’t meet him because he’s not here. He already passed away.” John Paulo fidgeted with his hands.

He refused to look at Stell now, which was probably a good thing because Stell's eyes had widened to the size of saucers. He felt his stomach plummet at the confession and his heart ache for John Paulo, because what? Out of all the thing that Stell had expected John Paulo to say, that certainly was not it.

“I am so sorry, Sejun,” he apologized, heart speeding up for an entirely different reason from just five minutes ago. “Are you okay?” Stell asked, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Of course John Paulo wasn’t fucking okay and Stell felt like an idiot for asking, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Is that why your mom called? Do you have to go back home?” he asked gently, forgetting everything John Paulo had told him up until that moment. Stell's brain had focused in on only the last words out of his boyfriend’s mouth, and the confession left his throat dry.

John Paulo shook his head. He still refused to look up at Stell, which just made Stell feel all the more nervous. “I don’t think I should meet your mom under these circumstances,” he continued. “It’s not right of me.”

“Stell,” John Paulo called, breaking Stell out of his nervous ramble. “That’s not why my mom called,” he explained. Stell's face contorted in confusion. “This isn’t a recent thing, or well, maybe it is but it didn’t just happen. He passed away almost six months now.”

Instead of lifting the confusion, John Paulo's explanation only served to deepen the creases in Stell's forehead. “What – why didn’t you – fuck, I feel like such an asshole,” Stell cried, turning his face away from John Paulo.

“Stell,” John Paulo said again, reaching for Stell'z hands so he could pull them face-to-face. “Why would you say that? You’re not an asshole,” he insisted.

“Well I sure feel like one,” Stell mumbled dejectedly. “Six months isn’t a very long time and now I feel like I was incredibly insensitive every time I brought him up in conversation between us,” he frowned. He felt John Paulo's hands tighten around his fingers but Stell didn’t return the pressure.

“I knew you were hiding something, because you got all quiet every time I mentioned your dad but I let it go thinking that maybe you had a falling out, and that maybe you’d explain it to me one day but I guess not,” he laughed dryly. “I’m such an idiot.” He lifted his head up towards the ceiling in an attempt to stop the tears forming in his eyes from spilling down his cheeks.

“That’s not your fault,” John Paulo started off nervously, noticing the wobbliness in Stell's voice immediately. “You didn’t know, so please don’t blame yourself,” he insisted.

The long silence between them was deafening, but Stell eventually broke it.

“I know it’s not,” he admitted sadly, bringing his head down to look at John Paulo once more. “I just can’t understand why you didn’t tell me all the times we talked about him. Was I just not important enough to tell because what’s the point if this wasn’t serious anyway, right?” Stell asked, feeling his hurt start to take over his rational thoughts.

“That’s not true,” John Paulo responded insistently. “You are important and this is serious,” he said firmly.

Stell quirked his lips disbelievingly before pulling his fingers out of John Paulo's grasp. This wasn’t the kind of conversation he wanted to have in a bathroom, jaw aching from the hard lump that was growing with every passing second, and voice wavering with uncertainty with every word that came out of John Paulo's mouth.

“Where are you going?” John Paulo asked, voice laced with panic. Despite the fact that Stell could hear the worry in his voice, he couldn’t bring himself to process it.

“I’m going home,” he answered stiffly.

“Why? Stell please, don’t go,” he said softly. It almost sounded like he was begging, but Stell was far too offended and frustrated to really care what John Paulo wanted at the moment. “What am I supposed to tell my mom when you’re not here?”

“I don’t know,” Stell shrugged, kicking on his shoes and picking up his school bag that he had dropped in the entrance when he first came in. “Make something up, or avoid telling her the truth since you seem to be so good at diverting it,” he snapped angrily.

That was unfair and he knew it, but amidst his hurt and his frustration, the rational side of his brain had shut down. He didn’t wait to hear a response from John Paulo before he opened the door and stepped out, remembering at the last minute not to slam it lest he garner the attention of the rest of the floor.

As he waited for the elevator, he couldn’t help but notice that John Paulo hadn’t come out to get him once he had left, and that thought, along with the doubt that had already settled deep into his heart was enough to make the tears that had previously caught in his long lashes slip down his face.

It was thanks to the tears that his vision blurred and he almost didn’t notice the woman who came out of the elevator as he tried to rush in, in an attempt to get as far away from John Paulo as possible at the moment. He didn’t need any more reason to believe that John Paulo didn’t care about him. Although the fact that he hid one of the most important things about his life, and the fact that he didn’t bother to come get Stell and fix the situation was enough of an indicator of how John Paulo really felt about him.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized quickly, turning his face down and away from the stranger he bumped.

“That’s alright,” the woman replied gently. Stell didn’t face her, but if he had, he would have noticed the deep dimples in her cheeks similar to that he had become so fond of over the past three months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been giving away lots of fluffs, let me try a bit of angst?
> 
> Comments?


	17. Coffee Prince Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tita G on the house ahaha~ ^_^

Letting Stell leave without trying harder to stop him was on the list of the top five stupidest things John Paulo had ever done in his life. It sat comfortably at number two, above not telling Stell the truth about his dad considering the number of times they had actually spoken about him, and how long they had been dating for at that point. Below that, there's this time in high school he had been stupid enough to get caught smoking out of sheer curiosity.

At least the experience hadn’t resulted in any charges, thanks to his parents’ influence in the school and the community at large. But he had been forced to face their wrath, which he supposed was equal to any charges the police may have laid.

It was a one-time thing, a life-lesson that John Paulo carried with him ever since. He learned that he shouldn’t do things unless he was ready to face the consequences.

So then why had he lied to Stell all this time about his dad? It wasn’t like it was a big secret, not back home anyway. But there was a part of John Paulo that was worried Stell would think that the relationship between them wasn’t serious because of John Paulo's recent loss. Apparently, not telling Stell the truth led him to that very same conclusion, so John Paulo had fucked up either way.

He knew he should have gone after Stell, to tell him the truth and explain just why he had held such vital information from him… but he didn’t. He let his boyfriend walk away without putting up a fight, most likely giving him all the more reason to think that John Paulo didn’t care about him, or that he wasn’t serious about their relationship, which was the farthest thing from the truth possible.

John Paulo cared so much about Stell, he thought that he was going crazy at times. He had never expected anything out of his move to the city besides a new start and a fresh environment where people couldn’t stare at him knowingly. But he had unintentionally found something, or rather someone, who made him feel like his whole world was spinning.

It should have scared him, it should have made him want to distance himself because how was he supposed to be happy when he had just run away from his problems instead of facing them head on? But every time he so much as looked at Stell he couldn’t help the comforting warmth spread through his entire body.

John Paulo liked him, he really liked him, and he couldn’t help the guilt at the realization from settling deep into his bones.

The thought just reminded him again that he should have gone after Stell. He should have tried to explain himself and show Stell just how much the other man meant to him, but the fact remained that he didn’t.

The truth was, John Paulo was afraid of what Stell would do, what he would say to him. Thanks to his own cowardice, he stayed firmly put in his apartment, pulling at his hair until he felt like it was going to tear out and he would go bald.

He hadn’t bothered to lock the door after Stell left in the off chance that his boyfriend would come back, but that was just wishful thinking on his part. Still, it meant that he didn’t have to get up to answer the door when his mother knocked either. He looked up from his spot on the couch, which he had occupied, then decided against actually getting up to answer the door when he heard the telltale knock.

His mother didn’t wait much longer before she wiggled the doorknob and walked inside, looking wholly unamused with John Paulo. He figured it was because he hadn’t gotten up to greet her, but the words that came out of her mouth upon seeing her son looking kind of pathetic and mopey on the couch made John Paulo heart drop to his stomach.

“I saw a very handsome man in the elevator a few seconds ago and from the lack of another handsome man in here, I’m assuming that was Stell?” she raised her eyebrows questioningly.

Despite the way she had worded her sentence like a question, John Pailo understood that she knew that was Stell. And from the way she didn’t look one bit impressed, he had a feeling she wasn’t going to be very kind to John Paulo about the circumstances. After all, he had confirmed to her not too long ago that Stell was at his apartment and she had come over to meet him.

“Did you talk to him?” John Paulo asked, ignoring his mother’s jab at his appearance. He knew she didn’t mean it, but she didn’t look pleased with him and when Grace Nase was angry, she didn’t hold anything back.

Unlike John Paulo's own silent nature, she was blunt and straight to the point, which he figured was what he needed right then to shake him out of his stupidity, even if he didn’t like that he was being treated like an idiot.

“I couldn’t exactly talk to him when he's on the verge of crying?” she pursed her lips, slipping her sandals off and putting on the pair of guest slippers that Stell had left unoccupied at the door upon his departure.

John Paulo felt his heart drop all the way to his intestines with that information. He had made Stell cry? He shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was, considering he had heard the wavering in Stell's voice and had seen the wetness in his eyes. But he couldn’t help but feel like the biggest asshole on the planet at the moment.

“Was he actually?” he asked weakly, hoping his mother was just exaggerating. Although he knew the answer, she even came over and pinched his ear tightly between her fingers, glaring menacingly at her son.

“Huh? Aren’t you supposed to know, considering he’s your boyfriend?” she asked, letting go of his flushed ear and sitting down next to him on the couch.

“Oww!” he complained, biting back the curse that was on the tip of his tongue, and rubbing his ear with his palm to ease some of the pain instead.

Although that was nothing compared to the way his heart ached. He would take his mom pinching his ear for days, if it just meant that the pain in his chest would go away.

He immediately felt the guilt increase at the thought. He didn’t deserve to not feel like an asshole, not when he had made Stell feel so bad. Not when he knew he had fucked up.

“What did you do?!” she asked, fixing the skirt of her blue dress over her knees before turning her body to face John Paulo. When John Paulo didn’t respond however, she reached for his face affectionately before turning it towards her. “Paulo, come on? tell me what you did,” she prodded.

“Why do you think it was me who did something?” he mumbled dejectedly.

Well he had been the one to cause Stell to leave and make him cry. But that didn’t mean he liked having the blame pinned on him so surely, and by his own mom no less.

She raised her eyebrows disbelievingly before dropping her hands from John Paulo's face and folding them over her lap tightly, foregoing the gentle route.

“People don’t just cry for no reason,” she rolled her eyes. “Especially not when they were laughing only a few minutes ago. Don’t forget that I heard him over the phone. So why don’t you tell me what happened and I’ll tell you just how big of an idiot you really are.”

John Paulo wanted to tell her to leave so that he could wallow in his own misery peacefully. But he didn’t because as much as his mother wasn’t going to hold back on telling him how badly he had fucked up, that was exactly what he needed. The faster he picked himself out of his slump, the faster he could apologize properly to Stell and attempt to make it up to him. If Stell would even let him do that at this point. John Paulo wasn’t sure if he’d let himself back in after an incident like this.

“He asked if you were coming alone or if you and dad were both coming. When I told him that he couldn’t exactly meet dad because, well, you know why,” he sighed, face flushed at the admission. He slumped his head down between his shoulders, trying not to look at his mother’s face, which he just knew was sporting a disapproving look.

His mom was silent for a few moments before she let out a heavy sigh. “Oh Paulo! you’re really stupid,” she shook her head before turning her attention back to him. “Why didn’t you tell him before? Is this even serious, because that’s completely inappropriate of you to string him along if it isn’t?” she scolded, eyes flashing momentarily.

John Paulo groaned, burying his head in his palms. “That’s what Stell said,” he admitted. “But you’ve got it all wrong. I should have told him, I know that now, but I didn’t tell him because I didn’t want him to think that I wasn’t serious,” he corrected. “What if he thought that this was just some kind of coping mechanism? That I was just using him for some kind of comfort? It’s not, by the way, before you even ask me that.” he added, cutting the question off of his mother’s lips.

Her face looked stern, but not unkind. John Paulo looked towards her helplessly. Then she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and pulled him into a one-armed hug. “You’re definitely an idiot,” she said again. “Just like your father,” she mused, much to John Paulo's embarrassment. “But you didn’t have any bad intentions so while this situation doesn’t make you a good person, at least I know you’re not a bad one either.” she smiled.

The words weren’t exactly uplifting, but at least the other important person in his life didn’t completely hate him. Fifty percent hate was better than a hundred percent, even though John Paulo would have liked the statistics to change.

His mom lifted her free hand to brush the hair that had fallen in his face away and smooth out the bunch of hair that he had pulled haphazardly in his frustration.

“You made a mistake,” she said simply. “But I can see why Stell was upset. I would have been too if I were him. Don’t you think he sees this as you not caring about him?” she asked gently.

“That’s not true though,” John Paulo denied. “I do care about him,” he insisted.

“I’m not saying you don’t, Paulo. But I’m not the one you need to convince. You like him, right?” she asked.

“Of course. I wouldn’t have told you about him if I didn’t.” he mumbled embarrassedly.

That was apparently the right thing to say because his mother nodded before smiling soothingly. She squeezed the hand that was resting on John Paulo's shoulder lightly to show her silent support. Her son was grateful for the gesture even if he knew she wasn’t exactly happy with him at the moment.

“Then tell him that,” she insisted, standing up. “He needs to hear it from you sooner rather than later. Tell him right now. I don’t know why you waited this long in the first place. Go change, and go apologize,” she urged.

“Seriously?” John Paulo gawked. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to apologize to Stell, he really did. He just didn’t know what he was supposed to say to mend the situation. But he supposed it couldn’t be worse than keeping silent, which was what had started this whole thing in the first place.

“Yes, seriously!” she rolled her eyes, using John Paulo's own words against him mockingly. “And a word of advice: bring him flowers. He looked really upset. I’m sure the gesture will help smooth out the conversation.”

“That’s so embarrassing!!” John Paulo complained.

“You eat what you sow, John Paulo~” she sing-songed. “I don’t want to hear another word of complaint from your mouth, do you understand? I also want to see Stell at dinner tomorrow. I made reservations for three and I’m not about to cancel them now because you can’t figure out how to be a proper boyfriend!” she narrowed her eyes.

John Paulo gulped at the seriousness of his mother’s voice. It was scary how quickly she could go from being gentle to fierce. She may have been a head shorter than him, but her composure and the delivery of her message was more than enough to command respect and convey fear.

“I’ll try.” he said nervously. He wasn’t sure how confident he was in his ability to apologize to Stell and get him to agree to dinner with his mom all in one night. Still, it wasn’t like John Paulo could do anything but heed his mother’s advice.

“You better be or I’m having your car towed back home.” she threatened.

“What?!” John Paulo asked, getting to his feet. “You can’t be serious?” he argued childishly.

His mother snorted at his weak rebuttal. “Did you pay for it? I don’t think so.”

“This is so unfair.” he muttered under his breath, tacking on an “I bet dad wouldn’t have done this.” quite improperly at the end.

The moment the words were out of his mouth, John Paulo regretted them. He was on an unfortunate streak today with the stupid comments, which was unlike him. He could have blamed it on his lack of sleep or Stell's anger at him. But Stell's anger was a work in progress considering how long John Paulo had avoided telling him the truth for. So really he only had himself to blame. Before he could apologize though, his mother was speaking. Whether she was angry with him or not, was still a mystery given her neutral tone.

“Huh?” she mused. “Maybe you should visit his grave when you come home and ask him yourself whether what I said was unfair or not. But then again, that requires you actually going to visit him so I guess we’ll never know.”

That was a low blow but John Paulo wouldn’t deny that he deserved it.

“Ma,” he tried apologetically.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said waving the matter off. “I either see you at dinner tomorrow with Stell or you lose your car. I trust that you know how to at least apologize.”

“Okay” he agreed because there was no point in fighting a battle that was already lost. John Paulo didn’t have a chance of beating his mother anyway, in the end, she was right. He really had dug himself into this mess. If Stell wasn’t willing to forgive him, then maybe losing his most prized possession would be a good reminder to not do something so stupid again.

“Oh and Paulo?” she asked, once she was ready to leave.

“Yeah?” he asked unsurely.

“You shouldn’t try to hide things. You’re a terrible liar.” she said seriously.

“I mean, I know, but why are you telling me that now?” he asked nervously.

“You know how you told me that I couldn’t come see you and Stell and I asked if you were busy with your private activities and you said no? Liar!” she smiled eyes twinkling delightfully at the blush on John Paulo's cheeks.

“Mama!” he complained.

“You’re not cut out for a life of secrecy. The truth is written all over your face… and neck.” she chuckled, motioning to what John Paulo could only assume was the array of hickeys Stell had marked him with before leaving.

His blush only increased but he didn’t grace his mother with a proper response, which was fine, because it didn’t seem like she was looking for one anyway. He kissed her goodbye after she was convinced that he was actually going to do what she had asked him to before leaving.

The moment he closed the door behind her, John Paulo turned to his room to find something suitable to wear. What did a person wear to an apology anyway? Was that even a thing? He wasn’t sure but his mum had told him to change. So he figured what he was wearing wasn’t good enough. He probably should have asked her what she had in mind but he was old enough to figure out how to dress himself, for fuck’s sake.

Even if apparently he wasn’t old enough to realize that lying was never a good thing. He could almost hear his elementary school teachers’ scolding voices as they tried to instil good morals into their students’ minds. It wasn’t that he liked hiding the truth from Stell but it had been so much easier than dealing with the fuss of emotions. It was the reason he had left home in the first place. The last thing he wanted to do was pull Stell into the mess that was his life.

Then you shouldn’t have started dating him, the voice in his head reminded him. He pushed the thought aside angrily because that damn voice and his mother had both been right. He hadn’t thought this through and now he was paying the price for it.

In the end, John Paulo decided on black jeans and a mint green button down before he headed over to the store to pick up flowers… not that he knew what he was even looking for. The florist was kind enough to do all the work for him once he admitted that they were supposed to be an apology gift.

By the time John Paulo made it to Stell's apartment, it was nearing 4 pm and he realized he hadn’t actually texted Stell to make sure he was going to be there. But he really didn’t have anywhere else to try to his luck, besides the coffee shop and that would be embarrassing as hell.

Not that he didn’t deserve it for being such a dick, but he prayed to any god out there who gave a shit about him that he wouldn’t have to embarrass himself further.

Once Stell had left John Paulo's apartment, he had composed himself long enough to stop his tears from leaking down his face. At least until he made it back to his own apartment because if there was one thing Stell hated more than anything else, it was people staring at him with pity.

It was the look they gave him when they realized he wasn’t going to dance in university anymore. It was the look that he had come to hate the most because it reduced him to something worthless. He didn’t need nor did he want sympathy and compassion from strangers. There was a reason he tried so hard to maintain his appearance in public, and just because he was upset didn’t mean he would lose himself.

The moment he got home though, all bets were off. In the comfort of his apartment, Stell didn’t have to pretend to be okay when he really wasn’t.

Unfortunately for him, Josh and JP were also home, which made things a little awkward and difficult. He had been looking forward to the idea of letting loose on the couch with packets of strawberry sweets and maybe a Star Wars movie, except those plans were squashed when he heard loud yelling that could be nothing but Josh and JP playing video games against one another.

To their credit, they didn’t ask Stell any questions when he greeted them politely. His eyes obviously red from the few tears he had let slip on his way out of John Paulo's apartment before turning immediately to his room to shut himself in.

He was grateful that his door had been finally fixed. The moment he entered his comfortable space, he locked it so that no one else could come in. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about it, whatever it was, because Stell himself wasn’t sure of the situation anymore.

Things had been going so well… and maybe that should have been an indicator to Stell. Nothing ever went well without some kind of a bump, and his relationship with John Paulo shouldn’t have been any different. It wasn’t any different, not really, anyway. He jutted his bottom lip out at the thought but quickly schooled his features even though there was no one to judge him.

Instead, he flopped down on his bed and wrapped his arm around his favourite stuffed animal, a greyish-brown plushie of E.T. that Stell had begged his parents for after watching the movie when he was six. It was old but he had taken good care of it. Right now, what Stell needed the most was something familiar to keep him grounded.

Despite the fact that Josh and JP hadn’t pressed Stell for details of why he looked so visibly upset, he noticed that they had quit playing their video games and were sitting silently in the living room. Stell hated that they were treading on thin ice with him, but he supposed that he wasn’t giving them much of a choice. He wished they would just come out and say what they wanted to. Instead, they stayed in the living room and Stell refused to be the one to dump his problems on them.

He wanted them to leave the apartment, or maybe go into Josh's room if they were going to be quiet. Because there was only one tv in the house and if they weren’t going to use it then Stell sure as hell would. But Stell didn’t demand it even he knew that was a bit too much. So instead, he fit his headphones over his ears and lay down across his bed to drown out the unbearable silence in the apartment.

He had killed the mood, both with John Paulo and now with Josh and JP. He couldn’t really bring himself to care about it. Not when his brain was too busy trying to convince him that he had overreacted and now John Paulo was going to see just how insufferable Stell was.

But then another part of him was upset that John Paulo had been the one to hide things from Stell. Maybe it didn’t matter if John Paulo didn’t want to see him again because that path was inevitable, right? He was just speeding up the process if their relationship hadn’t been serious, which Stell had every reason to believe at the moment despite John Paulo's denial.

They had been dating for ten weeks now and John Paulo had every opportunity to tell Stell about his dad. Stell hadn’t once pressed John Paulo for details about why he decided to transfer to their univ after two years, when his family was still back in on his hometown. He had figured that John Paulo would tell him about it, just like he figured that John Paulo would eventually tell Stell about his family, which John Paulo seemed perfectly at ease mentioning but froze up every time Stell said something offhandedly.

He should have figured by the reaction that the two things were related. In all honesty, the idea that John Paulo hadn’t told Stell every single detail about his life wasn’t what was upsetting him. It was the fact that six months really wasn’t a long time to get over someone – someone who John Paulo was obviously very close to and still remembered every day if his social media pictures were anything to go by.

So what was Stell supposed to be then? Just some distraction while John Paulo figured his shit out?

He had never felt a reason to hide his feelings from the other man before, but Stell couldn’t help but feel that maybe he should have in this situation, even if whatever between them wasn’t serious. They’d break up eventually but at least he had been happy, which was the most ridiculous thing he had thought, but John Paulo made it look so easy to be genuine.

Stell had thought it was serious, which was what hit him the hardest, if he was being honest. John Paulo had done everything right, ever since they started dating and Stell had sincerely thought that the other man liked him. He told Stell that often enough in any case but of course it had been too good to be true.

Everything was always too good to be true, after all, and Stell had definitely ruined whatever chance they might have had by snapping at John Paulo before leaving. He couldn’t help but think again that maybe he should have just kept his opinions to himself, even if a relationships based on secrecy and lies wasn’t what he wanted.

At least, he wouldn’t have been doing anything wrong had he concealed his thoughts considering John Paulo wasn’t so truthful with him either. The thoughts were dangerous and Stell knew better than to let his mind succumb to that black hole of despair. But in his current state, he couldn’t do more than accept it.

The worst part about this whole thing was that Stell knew John Paulo was hiding something. The way he always got silent after Stell offhandedly mentioned his dad or the way he changed the subject whenever Stell said something about his own. John Paulo only gave Stell superficial information about both of his parents which Stell supposed was his way of avoiding the topic entirely.

Stell had brushed it off as unimportant because it wasn’t like their relationship was old. But at the same time it wasn’t brand new either, he should have cared more, somewhere in the back of his mind he did. But he didn’t want to risk the happiness he had been feeling around John Paulo.

John Paulo was nice, smart, good looking and most of all, he liked Stell the way he was. It wasn’t as if someone like him was going to come around every day which was the only thing that had stopped Stell from pushing John Paulo further.

Stupid.

That was the only way he could describe his actions and the thought made him wish he was a time traveler. How easy would it have been to just be able to go back and fix this whole thing?

Stell pulled his blankets over his head, cocooning himself in the darkness as he tried to distract himself with music but even that wasn’t enough. Eventually Stell pulled his headphones off and just lay in bed silently, staring at the glow-in-the-dark star stickers Josh had given to him as a housewarming gift when they moved in together last year. They were faded now, barely even glowing, but Stell had just been too lazy to take them off.

He knew Josh and JP were still home, although he would never have guessed from how silent it was. They were probably waiting for Stell to say something, which he wouldn’t do. He didn’t need to ruin more people’s fun especially not when they were feeling relieved at having finished with half of the semester. It was a time for celebration not for listening to Stell whine about his relationship. Although even without him saying anything, it seemed like he had managed to dull the mood.

With the silence, it was easy to forget that Stell wasn’t alone. He was almost convinced that he was until he heard a firm knock at the front door and shuffling of feet. He would have ignored whoever it was, had it not been for the fact that he recognized John Paulo's deep voice and immediately sat up in his bed.

Stell hesitated, wondering whether he should actually go out or just let Josh and JP deal with John Paulo. What if John Paulo had come here to properly break things off with him? The fear that that might have been his whole reason for coming over in the first place kept Stell firmly locked in his room. He did however move towards the door so he could hear the conversation that was going on outside better.

“Listen man.. I like you, don’t get me wrong. But Stell's like a brother to me and if he came home upset because of something you did, then I can’t let you into our home.” Josh said seriously.

Stell felt his heart swell up at hearing Josh's defensive tone.

“Trust me I get that, I really do. I respect you for being such a good friend to him but I need to talk to him. Please?”

He sounded kind of nervous, which was unlike him But Stell chalked the nervousness up to the fact that despite how strong John Paulo was, he couldn’t take on both Josh and JP. Hell, even Stell would be intimidated by their dual presence if their anger was simultaneously directed towards him.

“Why?” JP asked suspiciously. “You’re not going to break his heart, are you? Because if you do I can’t guarantee I won’t break yours… literally,” he huffed.

Stell had to hold back a small smile at that. Who needed a boyfriend when you had such good friends anyway?

“JP that was the worst intimidation tactic I’ve ever heard, you moron,” Josh chided. “I swear if you stole that line from a movie…”

“I thought it was pretty good, wouldn’t you say so, Sejun?” JP asked, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be angry with the other man.

Stell rolled his eyes at JP's capriciousness, but he was grateful for his friend all the same. He couldn’t fault JP for being kind, he didn’t really have it in him to hold a grudge against anyone. Josh on the other hand, wasn’t as forgiving as JP was and Stell could almost feel the hostility in his voice.

“Stell's upset because of you, isn’t he?” Josh asked bluntly.

There was a slight pause before Stell heard John Paulo answer. “He is.” Before Josh could say anything else however he continued. “And it’s completely my fault. I’m not here to make things worse – I came here to apologize to him, I swear,” he insisted.

Stell didn’t give Josh and JP a chance to respond. Hearing John Paulo say that he was here to apologize and not to break up with him had Stell's heart speeding up in anticipation even though he had been upset about the whole situation only a few moments ago. Maybe he was fickle but the guilt at knowing he had walked away from John Paulo mid-argument had been eating away at him. Even if he was still a little hurt from it all, this was already a good start.

He unlocked the door quickly not even caring how obvious it was that he had been eavesdropping, before jerking it open fast enough to get the attention of the three men standing at the end of the hall near the front door.

John Paulo looked almost frightened before Stell beckoned him over, at which point his face visibly relaxed. “Don’t listen to them, Sejun, come in,” he smiled softly, gaze moving down to the flowers he was holding in his hand. Stell's eyes widened a fraction at the sight and his heart clenched tightly. He had to physically restrain himself from clutching his chest because it was too much, too sweet!

Stell didn’t move to greet John Paulo though – partly because he wasn’t sure if his legs could handle walking after witnessing the sincere look on John Paulo's face and partly because he wanted the privacy of his room. He stayed at his door while John Paulo awkwardly shuffled past Josh and JP who were still glaring at him and down towards Stell's room.

Once John Paulo was inside his room, Stell closed the door and locked it, knowing that if he didn’t, one of the two idiots who were more than likely eavesdropping outside would barge in without permission. It was nice, that they cared so much and Stell would have to treat them later for being such good friends. But for now, he wanted to speak to John Paulo alone.

“These are for you,” John Paulo said awkwardly, extending the sunflowers in his hand towards Stell.

Stell couldn’t help but quirk his lips up slightly at the gesture. “You didn’t have to buy me flowers,” he said hesitantly although he couldn’t deny that he loved the sight of them all the same.

Still, it didn’t make up for the whole part about John Paulo not telling the truth, which the other man was quick to address as well.

“Yes, I did.” John Paulo insisted. “I know it’s not a proper apology but I was hoping it would help. Listen Stell, I’m sorry for not telling you about my dad in all the times we talked about him. It was unfair of me to hide something like that from you and I didn’t hide it because you’re not important.”

He paused to take in Stell's reaction, but Stell gave nothing away. He only nodded for John Paulo to continue.

“You are important to me and I like you a lot, so I guess in my own twisted way, I thought you wouldn’t see this as serious if I told you about him. It was really stupid of me but I had this pre-determined idea that you’d think I didn’t care about our relationship because of my recent loss. And that maybe I just came to this city for a distraction. That’s not what you are and I’ve never once thought of you that way. I like you Stell – a lot, probably more than I can express into words at the moment. I’ve never once considered our relationship as anything but serious so I really am sorry.”

Stell wasn’t sure how he was supposed to react to the confession, so he didn’t try to think about it. Instead, he wrapped his arms around John Paulo's shoulder and squeezed him tightly, not even caring that some of the tears in his eyes were dripping across John Paulo's back.

It didn’t seem like John Paulo cared much about it either, because he breathed deeply through his nose, almost like he was releasing a heavy sigh which he probably was. He pressed his face against Stell's chest and wrapped his free arm around Stell's waist, pulling them as close as he could without crushing the flowers still between them.

“It made me feel really stupid.” Stell admitted, voice muffled by John Paulo's shirt. “I thought you didn’t like me and that you didn’t tell me because you were just going to break up with me eventually.” he sniffed. “I thought you were just using me.”

He didn’t say it to make John Paulo feel guilty but Stell wanted John Paulo to know why he had been as upset as he was.

“I’m sorry for making you think that.” John Paulo choked out, voice scratchy. He tightened his hold around Stell along with the apology.

Stell didn’t respond, instead he clutched the material of John Paulo's shirt between his fingers. He breathed in John Paulo's cologne, the smell grounding him and reminding him that John Paulo was still there and that he really did care.

“I’m really sorry, Stell please don’t cry.” John Paulo said again, voice strained when Stell started hiccupping against him. He brought his hand up to clutch the back of Stell's shirt, giving Stell the support he needed until he calmed down a bit.

“I’m sorry too.” Stell said eventually, pulling away gently so that the flowers John Paulo bought him didn’t get ruined, even though he was pretty certain that they were at least a little bit rumpled with how tightly Stell had been holding on to John Paulo.

“Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong.” John Paulo frowned.

Stell's face twisted down slightly. “I left even though you told me not to and I basically called you a liar.” he reminded nervously.

“You don’t need to apologize for being upset. If anything, I shouldn’t have given you a reason for it. I did by hurting you so I deserved that.” John Paulo acknowledged, kissing Stell's wet cheek softly, brushing away the tears with his knuckles. “At least, that’s what my mom told me.” he added, smiling tenderly.

Stell laughed wetly at the addition. He couldn’t imagine John Paulo talking to his mom about their fight. But it was nice that they were close as well. “I’m also sorry about not meeting your mom,” he added sheepishly. “I hope she doesn’t think too poorly of me because of it?” he said shakily.

“Don’t worry about it, she saw you and she thought you were very handsome.” John Paulo chuckled quietly. He placed the bouquet in Stell's hands before lifting his own hands to cup Stell's cheeks. He traced the outline of Stell's faint blush with the pads of his thumbs.

“Really? When did she – oh no!! I can’t believe I met her and I didn’t even know it was her. I almost ran into her!” he sulked, realization dawning on him. “I bet she hates me now?” he mumbled gloomily.

“She doesn’t hate you,” John Paulo asserted. “She took your side and told me what an idiot I was, if it makes you feel better,” he laughed, kissing the tip of Stell's nose when it wrinkled in thought.

“She did?” Stell asked disbelievingly, cheeks pink, expression not quite happy but thoughtful at least.

“Hmm..” John Paulo agreed, taking back the bouquet of sunflower from Stell and placing them on his desk before grasping both of Stell's hands in his own. “She already likes you better than me and she hasn’t even properly met you yet.” John Paulo chuckled, bringing Stell's hands up to his lips to kiss the knuckles.

He looked into Stell's eyes as he did so, smiling pleasantly when he was met with a deepening blush from Stell at the action.

Stell pulled his hands gently to tug John Paulo in the direction of his bed, sitting down and moving his head for John Paulo to do the same. The tension between them had already been high enough for Stell to handle for one day, but he was feeling brave at seeing John Paulo apologize to him so sincerely.

“Is that why you came here in the city? Your dad?” he asked bravely.

John Paulo pulled his lips away from Stell's hands to gaze at him properly. He nodded, swallowing thickly around the sudden lump that had formed, despite having just made amends with Stell.

Stell wasn’t satisfied with that answer though, so he pressed further. They had come too far today for him to brush the topic aside, again. John Paulo said he liked him and that he was serious about their relationship, so Stell wanted to know. He didn’t want to know every single detail but just enough that he didn’t feel like he was in the dark anymore.

“Why this campus though? There are tons of schools with a good engineering program around the country?” he reminded.

“Did you not want me to come?” John Paulo asked hesitantly, reading wrongly into the question.

Stell shook his head. “That’s not why I’m asking,” he said firmly, hoping to shake off any misconceptions. “I just don’t like the circumstances,” he admitted.

How was he supposed to feel happy that luck brought John Paulo to his school and into his life when the context was so dreadful?

“Stop,” John Paulo said gently, coaxing Stell out of his deprecating thoughts. “The reason for me coming to here may not have been great but I’ve never regretted it for a moment.” he said sincerely. “I like you Stell, and I’m glad I met you. I wouldn’t change that, okay?”

Stell nodded feebly, feeling his eyes tear up a little at the admission. He blamed it on the fact that his emotions were still running awry from their earlier fight. But deep down, he knew that wasn’t the case. Hearing John Paulo's sincerity had stirred something raw in his heart and he wasn’t sure how to cope with the immense feeling of a fire taking over his entire body.

“I chose this city because it was far enough from my hometown and old school that no one here would know me. And I chose our university because it was easy to transfer here. My dad was a professor and I was tired of having the faculty and my classmates treat me differently because he was suddenly gone. There’s nothing I could do about it – he died of a natural cause so how was I supposed to fight that anyway?” he asked seriously.

Stell was taken aback by his maturity but hearing John Paulo say those words just reminded him that there were so many redeeming qualities to his boyfriend that he had yet to discover.

“I’m sorry ” Stell apologized, even though they both knew there was nothing he or anyone else for that matter, could do at that point. It was awkward to talk about but Stell couldn’t imagine such a sudden death.

“Yeah, me too,” John Paulo squeezed Stell's hand in his own gently. “One day he was fine and the next day he didn’t wake up in the morning. He didn’t have any health issues and as far as the coroners could tell, he didn’t die of any infections or diseases. It’s not common but it’s definitely not rare either,” John Paulo frowned.

“Don’t look at me like that, Stell, please,” he added when Stell's eyes fell and his lip quivered. “I don’t want the pity alright? It’s what was driving me insane and made me want to leave my hometown in the first place.” he sighed heavily.

Stell was taken aback but he quickly schooled his features. “I’m sorry.” he mumbled again, embarrassed by the display.

“Don’t be.” John Paulo reminded him instantly.

It was silent between them again until Stell spoke up. “So you transferred?”

“Yeah I asked to transfer. I have some high school friends in other university who wanted me to go there. But I honestly just wanted to be somewhere where no one knew me and no one treated me differently because of who my parents are.” he admitted. “Maybe it was fate that we met.” he teased, lightening the mood a little.

“Don’t say that!” Stell scolded, moving his arms to wrap around John Paulo's shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace. It was too much. John Paulo was too much.

“Why not?” John Paulo asked seriously. “Maybe this was some god’s way of evening out my shitty luck.” he chuckled nervously. Stell only squeezed tighter in response. “Stell!! I can’t breathe.”

“I’m sorry!” Stell squeaked, pulling back, face red from embarrassment. “Thank you for telling me all of that.” he said appreciatively.

It couldn’t have been easy for John Paulo to move so far away and start a new life when he had already established one at his previous school. Going from high school to university had been hard enough, in Stell's opinion but he couldn’t imagine changing that again after two years of maintenance.

“You don’t have to thank me. I should have told you that from the start.” John Paulo admitted. “It was no way to start a relationship and I’m sorry for jeopardizing what we have.”

Stell shook his head, feeling like it was his fault for sowing doubt about the authenticity of their relationship in the first place. He realized now that this was a sensitive topic and he shouldn’t have been angry with John Paulo for not telling him the intimate details of his life right off the bat.

Maybe a warning would have been nice though. But he would never have asked for details not unless John Paulo was willing to share them with Stell anyway.

But hearing John Paulo say that he cared about Stell and their relationship had eased some of his worries. He still felt awkwardly guilty about the circumstances like he shouldn’t have been happy for meeting John Paulo when the circumstances were far from ideal. 

If Stell was being honest, he appreciate John Paulo had come clean and he had shared what he had been keeping from Stell, so there was nothing more he could ask for at the moment. Maybe telling himself to trust John Paulo wasn’t going to be the easiest of things but there was nothing else he would have rather tried to do.

“Do you want to stay?” he asked in an attempt to change the topic, to move away from the sombre atmosphere that had shadowed over them like a raincloud. “I think JP and Josh were having a video game tournament and I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if we crashed.” Stell offered.

“Hmm,” John Paulo answered noncommittally but he didn’t make a move to get off the bed, and neither did Stell. For a moment, Stell thought that it was because the conversation wasn’t over and that maybe John Paulo had changed his mind about one thing or another. But the doubt was quickly replaced by consideration.

“I hope you’re not busy tomorrow evening. My mom said she wanted to have dinner with us.” John Paulo said conversationally, bringing Stell's hands that were still in his own, up to his mouth once again. He ghosted his lips across Stell's knuckles to the back of his hands before slowly kissing up his pale arms.

“Ah,” Stell breathed out as John Paulo sucked against his flesh, loving the way his lips felt against Stell's skin. “N– not busy,” he confirmed, remembering the question.

“And what about tonight?” John Paulo asked, pressing Stell backwards until his back hit the mattress. “Are you busy tonight?” he asked again, bringing his face close to Stell's and peppering his cheek with light kisses.

“N– nope,” Stell stuttered, hands gripping the hem of John Paulo's shirt for some kind of leverage.

“Well now you are” he grinned against Stell's lips, pulling them between his teeth lightly, making Stell arch his back and moan right into John Paulo's mouth. “I mean, if that’s okay?” John Paulo added.

The change of tone made Stell bite back a laugh, eyes sparkling with renewed mirth.

“How about we pick up where we left off earlier?” he suggested, hands dipping to the waistband of John Paulo's black jeans before deftly undoing the button.

John Paulo hummed in approval, pressing their lips closer together. “I’d like that,” he confirmed, pulling back and letting his hands play with the bangs covering Stell's face while Stell busied himself with shedding John Paulo of all his clothes.

Despite the fact that this had been their first fight and first serious conversation as a couple, Stell was glad that they were able to make up.

Stell had been afraid his personality would have gotten too overbearing for John Paulo but he seemed to like Stell more with every new part he discovered. He was so dazed by the revelation that he didn’t even care to be quiet when John Paulo kissed him all over his body, sucking against his skin languidly before taking the initiative to fuck him slowly.

It was the slowest they had ever gone, John Paulo whispering sweet praises into Stell's ear, telling him how sorry he was and reminding him how much he liked him long after Stell insisted that things were okay between them. John Paulo kissed him softly, hands never leaving his thighs, his torso, his face. The gentleness of it all was just another reminder that yes, John Paulo was here. He wasn’t going anywhere and that he liked Stell just the way he was.

He ignored all of JP and Josh's protests to be quiet, focusing all his attention on his wonderful, caring, still absolutely perfect boyfriend instead.

Stell felt that he was lucky but John Paulo was more than willing to show him that he was lucky for having Stell as well, which was far more than Stell could have ever asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I couldn't pull of an angst yet. Fluff and a bit NC-17 again?
> 
> how was it?


	18. Coffee Prince Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual ‘Can I get a name for your cup,’ which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends~ meeting the parent chapter!!  
> writing Sejun's mom is challenging. I hope she doesn't mind haha
> 
> I miss going to restaurants while writing this up!

With John Paulo with him all of last night, it was easy for Stell to forget about the fact that he had agreed to dinner with his boyfriend and his mother the next day. Stell had been so happy about the fact that he and John Paulo had made up a few hours after having their first fight and actually talking things out like a couple in a healthy relationship would do instead of brushing them aside to build up later.

After making enough noise to bother JP and Josh with, which Stell still maintained was not his intention, they had spent the rest of the evening playing video games with the two and ordering chinese takeout. In his happiness, he had forgotten all about their conversation, including the part where Stell had agreed to dinner plans until he woke up the next morning.

At first, Stell had just been pleased to see John Paulo's steadily sleeping body next to his. John Paulo was always the most unreserved when he was sleeping; soft, gentle and completely open for admiration. Seeing him like that always put Stell in a giggly mood which he had to hold back on actually making into sound lest he wake up his boyfriend. But just admiring him while he slept also gave him all sorts of urges.

Eventually, Stell had been tempted to trace the outlines of John Paulo's biceps with his fingers; so he had, relishing in the way John Paulo's taut skin felt against his own. He paused at the bulging veins around the muscle, pressing down and watching them puff back up as soon as Stell removed his fingers. John Paulo's skin was so smooth it was kind of enthralling.

But the action stirred John Paulo awake eventually because Stell couldn’t help but tighten his grip around the tempting muscle.

“Morning,” John Paulo mumbled sleepily, smiling at Stell. He always liked John Paulo's voice but his sleepy one was probably one of Stell's favourites – it was rough but soft and effortlessly sexy all at the same time.

“Morning Sejun,” Stell smiled back, leaning in to press his lips to John Paulo's jaw.

“Have you been up long?” he asked, turning his head and tucking one hand under his cheek to get comfortable again, and give him a better view of Stell's face.

“I don’t know,” he chuckled. “Kind of lost track of time.” he admitted, blushing slightly.

John Paulo raised a questioning eyebrow but dropped it quickly, deciding that whatever was making Stell blush wasn’t worth it – not when he was tired and wanted to feel his boyfriend in his arms again. “Hmm, what time is it?” John Paulo asked, wrapping his arm around Stell's shoulder and pulling him in closer.

Stell craned his neck and pressed down on the home button of his phone sitting on the nightstand before replying, “Close to 9 am.” He chuckled when John Paulo wrinkled his nose. “That’s not even early so you can’t complain,” he chided half-heartedly.

“It is early,” John Paulo insisted. “Especially considering I was asleep for maybe five hours the night before and you kept me up last night,” John Paulo reminded.

“You weren't exactly complaining about it then,” Stell grinned smugly, rubbing the side of his face against John Paulo's chest affectionately, feeling the warmth of the blush that had spread across John Paulo seep into his own skin.

He hummed pleasantly when John Paulo ran his fingers through Stell's hair. He liked the touch and he especially liked it when it was John Paulo's fingers gently massaging his scalp. He wasn’t a fan of spending all day in bed but he’d have been content just lying there with John Paulp forever if the other man asked.

“You should have slept in a bit more,” John Paulo said after a while, moving his hand down to Stell's nape to play with the curls of baby hair there.

“Why’s that?” Stell asked absentmindedly, eyes closed and sleep starting to seep into him once again with John Paulo's rhythmic petting.

“Because we have dinner with my mom tonight and she’s going to talk your ear off. I hope you’re ready for that?” he chuckled lightly.

Stell suddenly froze against John Paulo's chest before coming to his senses and scrambling to get up. He pushed himself away from John Paulo quickly, leaving his very confused boyfriend in his wake. Stell rummaged through his drawers for a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before he threw open the door to his room loudly. He walked out without a second glance at John Paulo who still hadn’t moved from his position on the bed, hands lingering in the empty air where Stell's head had been only a few moments ago.

John Paulo was too startled by the sudden action to really have time to respond. Only when Stell was gone from the room and he was left alone with a cold chill did he come to the realization that Stell wasn’t going to come back without some coaxing.

He sighed before finding a pair of pants in the drawer that Stell had been digging through moments before. He didn’t bother with a shirt, it was too hot outside and he had full intentions of dragging Stell back to bed – before stepping out of the room to search for Stell.

The apartment wasn’t very large but Stell had disappeared so fast that John Paulo didn’t know where he went. He was still confused as to why Stell had run away so suddenly when he heard the bathroom door swing open to reveal Stell's comically panic-stricken face.

“Sejun, don’t just stand there! get ready,” Stell huffed, beckoning John Paulo inside the bathroom.

“For what?” he demanded, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

“Do you want to be late for dinner?” Stell asked, voice clipped in a way that made it sound like the answer was self-explanatory.

John Paulo blinked slowly a few times before he had to force himself to bite back a laugh at Stell's frenzied state. “Dinner isn’t until 6 pm right,” he reminded gently. “You still have a little less than nine hours left to get ready.”

“No, we’ll be eating at 6 pm. How long will it take us to get to the restaurant?” he snapped.

John Paulo didn’t rise to Stell's bait. He wasn’t going to let Stell get all worked up about nothing. Especially when it was supposed to be a good evening, not one that Stell would regret.

“I don’t know… it’s just around the next city, so it’ll take us twenty minutes by train. That’s not far, Stell. Can we please go back to bed for at least another hour?” John Paulo asked warily.

Stell wrinkled his nose at the mention of the place, which John Paulo had to remind himself not to react to. It was kind of cute how much Stell hated the name, whether it was in association to his former rival or the university.

“That’s not close either,” Stell protested. “What if there’s an accident? What if the train breaks down? What if we get lost?” he panicked.

“I got your point… train breaks down and if it does, it’s up and running in a matter of minutes,” he deadpanned. “Besides, I have a car and there are taxis we can take. Why are you acting so weird?” he frowned.

“You think I’m weird?” Stell pouted, turning away from the entrance to close the door of the bathroom behind him again. John Paulo's earlier sleepiness had been washed away thanks to Stell's jittery behaviour so he was now ready when Stell suddenly moved to close the door. John Paulo extended his arm out to stop it before it hit the frame, holding the door in place.

“I don’t think you’re weird. I asked why you’re acting weird.” he clarified.

Stell seemingly didn’t hear what John Paulo had said. Instead, he frowned ignoring John Paulo's presence and reached for the toothbrush in the holder. “If Sejun thinks I’m weird, his mother will definitely think I’m weird. This was probably a bad idea. Maybe we should cancel dinner,” he mumbled to himself.

“Stell, quit panicking.” John Paulo said softly. He pushed the door of the bathroom aside to fully open it before he wrapped his arms around Stell's waist and pulled his back flush against John Paulo's chest. “She won’t think you’re weird because you’re not.” he reminded gently, pressing his face to Stell's neck, kissing the skin softly.

“Really?” Stell asked disbelievingly.

“Really.” John Paulo answered without missing a beat.

Stell twisted his face nervously but didn’t argue the statement. If John Paulo thought he wasn’t weird then he had no reason to believe otherwise. He relaxed against the feeling of John Paulo's heat against his back.

“Maybe a tiny bit odd though?” John Paulo couldn’t help but tease.

Stell froze again, ready to start panicking once more before he realized that John Paulo was joking. “That’s not funny!” he shouted, wriggling his back until he pushed John Paulo off of him. John Paulo looked like he was having the time of his life though, laughing it up while Stell was torn between throwing a fit and demanding an apology.

“I’m sorry,” John Paulo said suddenly. Stell still puffed his cheeks out and turned his head dutifully when John Paulo tried to kiss him. “Baby please, I’m really sorry, I know that wasn’t funny,” he repeated the apology, a little more pleadingly.

Stell felt his pout melt at the words. “You’re so mean,” he complained weakly but he didn’t shrug John Paulo off again, when his boyfriend wrapped his strong arms around Stell from behind, pressing his lips to Stell's jaw.

“Can we go back to bed again for a little while?” John Paulo asked against his skin when Stell had calmed down enough to stretch his head back, fitting it snugly against John Paulo's shoulder while he hummed softly.

“Okay,” Stell nodded seemingly thinking the suggestion over. “Let me just brush my teeth first though,” he said pulling toothpaste along his toothbrush before bringing it to his mouth. He smiled at John Paulo over the foam, who chuckled as he caught sight of Stell's face in the mirror.

“Fine, pass me mine too then,” he agreed, moving away from Stell’s back.

Stell had insisted that John Paulo keep his own toothbrush at his apartment a few weeks back with all the time they were spending together. At the time, it was because when they were both done with work and school, walking back from the library or the coffee shop after studying together, John Paulo was usually too tired to walk the extra five minutes to his own apartment.

But now John Paulo was glad that he had agreed to Stell's suggestion back then, since it meant he could wake up and kiss Stell as much as he wanted.

Stell's panic at remembering he was going to meet John Paulo's mom had washed away a little. If only because of John Paulo's comforting presence around him. He let himself get lost in the feeling of John Paulo's warmth and his intoxicating smell.

So when John Paulo dragged him back to bed with the promise that they would start the day in an hour, Stell agreed wholeheartedly. And when that hour turned to two, and two hours turned to three, Stell couldn’t find it in himself to complain. He was just as guilty of wanting to be there as John Paulo was guilty of keeping him there.

Stell had honestly thought that he had gotten over his initial nervousness. Meeting Tita Grace was always going to be a big deal because Stell wanted her to like him. But knowing that she was the only parent Stell would have the chance to impress made the situation a little bit more strained. He had one shot and one shot only at making a good impression.

So when Stell was getting ready for dinner, he asked John Paulo just where they were going so that he could dress appropriately, he felt a new sort of fear seep in.

“Oldani's FOO'D” John Paulo replied over the phone.

After spending the morning with Stell and most of the afternoon as well – half the time spent together in bed, he had left Stell's apartment at around 3 pm so that he could get ready for the evening.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Stell screeched.

“Why? What’s wrong? You don’t like that place?” John Paulo asked.

“Don’t be silly Sejun. I don’t think it’s possible to dislike that place. Do you even know what FOO'D is? It’s a Michelin star restaurant. It’s famous and incredibly expensive, oh my god!” Stell yelled dramatically.

“You don’t have to worry about paying.” John Paulo said after a few beats of silence. “My mom told me she’d cover dinner for us.” Stell could almost see him shrug his shoulders nonchalantly, which made him narrow his eyes even though John Paulo wasn’t there to see his displeased expression.

“That’s not what I was worrying about,” he snapped. “And no way am I letting your mom pay for me at a place that expensive,” he rolled his eyes. “That would be bad manners. What if she thinks I can’t take care of myself and I’m not worthy of Sejun?” he asked while putting the phone on speaker so he could sift through his closet for something nice to wear.

John Paulo laughed on the other end. “Do you think this is some kind of test?”

“It sure sounds like one!” Stell huffed.

“It’s not.” he assured. “My mom’s kind of weird about things like that. I’m sure she only picked the restaurant because she wanted to impress you.” he answered sheepishly.

“Why would she have to do that?” Stell asked, settling on a light pink collared shirt and a charcoal grey jacket and slacks.

He was lucky he had so many suits to choose from considering his major and the number of presentations he was required to make throughout the year. He decided to ditch the tie though, thinking it was too stuffy and formal, even if they were going to what was probably one of the most expensive restaurants in the neighboring city.

“I don’t know Stell,” John Paulo sighed. “You’ll have to ask her. But seriously, she won’t let you pay I’m warning you now.”

“Who has that kind of money? Wow! your mum must really like you.” Stell commented offhandedly before pausing, realization dawning on him. “You’re such a liar Sejun,” Stell complained, looking for a pair of cufflinks that would match the outfit he had picked out.

“What? What’d I do now?” John Paulo asked defensively.

“I asked you if you were a rich kid back in school festival and you said you weren’t.” Stell reminded. “I dare you to tell me otherwise now,” he huffed. “Go on..” he urged.

“I’m not,” John Paulo responded immediately before adding, “My mom has money, not me.” he added sheepishly.

“That’s such a good rich kid thing to say, I can’t believe you!” Stell tutted in disapproval.

“I didn’t lie to you.” John Paulo said nervously.

“Hmm?” Stell muttered absentmindedly, picking through the cufflinks until he decided that the Millennium Falcon design ones would do. It wasn’t exactly formal but to anyone who didn’t know about Star Wars, they would look perfectly acceptable.

“Are you mad?” John Paulo asked when Stell's reply was less than enthusiastic.

“No,” Stell shook his head. “You could have warned me though.” he chuckled.

“I’m sorry ” John Paulo apologized guiltily.

“Don’t be,” Stell waved dismissively. “That’s not important to our relationship,” he added when John Paulo coughed awkwardly in the background. “But at least this explains why you have such nice clothes despite the fact that you don’t even know half the brands.” he laughed lightly.

“Stell?” John Paulo grumbled embarrassedly on the other side of the line.

“I’m kidding!” Stell laughed, picking the phone up off the bed where he had placed it and back to his ear. “I’m going to get changed now. I’ll meet you at your place since it’s closer to the train station. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, see you in a bit.” John Paulo confirmed.

“Bye-bye, Sejun.”

Despite John Paulo's reassurance that this wasn’t a test of any sort, Stell couldn’t help but feel like it really was. He didn’t doubt that Tita Grace was nice but he was afraid that she wouldn’t think much of him, especially considering her high-end taste. It also made picking a gift out for her a lot more difficult.

Initially, Stell had figured he could get her a box of sweets, but now the gift seemed too inappropriate. However John Paulo didn’t seem to think so and he insisted that Stell's idea was just fine.

With a lot of coaxing, Stell ended up sticking to his original plan and picked a box of prafeuille chocolat. He knew the gift was inadequate but it wasn’t like he had time to think of something else. Especially when the last thing he wanted to do was arrive late for dinner. He let the salesclerk at the store wrap the gift in a pastel pink ribbon which he hoped was cute and not ugly. It was like every small thing was making Stell self-conscious, which John Paulo was quick to notice.

“Relax Stell,” John Paulo kept muttering, the entire train ride. He smoothed his palm over Stell's knee, rubbing circles against it softly and reminding him that he didn’t have anything to worry about because he would be by his side the entire time. It helped a little but still Stell was very aware that he felt like a fish out of water.

When they reached the restaurant, John Paulo greeted the host while Stell took in their surroundings. The decorations were very simple but elegant: copper-sand coloured walls, wooden tables and lighting fixtures, white leather chairs and all the well-dressed diners he saw inside just made Stell feel more aware of himself.

At least he didn’t look out of place even if he felt that way.

He felt John Paulo nudge his shoulder lightly to signal that the host was taking them in. Stell followed behind awkwardly until they reached to a private room and the host left them to enter after asking if there was anything else that he could get for them.

John Paulo looked at Stell, giving him a shy sort of smile before he opened the door and stepped in. Stell walked in after him when he noticed how table and chairs are different in their room. Tita Grace was already inside but she stood up to greet them when she noticed their arrival.

“Mama,” John Paulo greeted, kissing his mother on both cheeks before moving aside to let her meet Stell properly. “I want you to meet my boyfriend, Stellvester Ajero.”

“It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Nase” Stell smiled, extending a hand. He was slightly startled when John Paulo's mom moved in to hug him as well but he leaned into the touch quickly, kissing her just like John Paulo had done.

The first thing Stell noticed about John Paulo's mom was that she was really pretty. She didn’t look very old either but it wouldn’t have mattered how old she looked because with her small nose and wrinkle-free smooth skin, she would have been good looking at any age.

The second thing Stell noticed was that she was very, very well dressed. He almost wished he had donned a tie now that he was in her presence but John Paulo's lack of tie on his white collared shirt and dark, navy slacks and jacket put him at ease.

Tita Grace was wearing a simple, black coloured knee-length boat-neck dress, a white pearl bracelet and matching studded earrings. She looked like she had come straight out of a magazine which Stell would have believed in a heartbeat if he had been told that was the case. He was so dazed by her aura that it took him a second to register when she spoke to him.

“It’s nice to meet you too Stellvester. Please call me tita,” she smiled, cheeks caving in to form the same dimples Stell saw on John Paulo's face. “Mama works too,” she winked.

Stell felt his face heat up at that. From the corner of his eyes he noticed John Paulo had buried his head in both of his palms, if that wasn’t enough to give away his embarrassment, the way his ears were burning red certainly did.

“I told you not to say anything embarrassing and what do you do?” John Paulo muttered not so quietly under his breath.

“That wasn’t embarrassing!” his mom reprimanded. “That wasn’t embarrassing, right Stellvester?” she asked turning her attention to Stell.

Stell was startled at being addressed so suddenly and he was helpless to do anything but shake his head. “Not embarrassing,” he confirmed. He bit back a smile when John Paulo's mom turned her head to grin smugly at her son. “You should call me Stell then,” he said. “If you’re okay with that?” he added.

John Paulo's mom smiled, happy to change the way she addressed him. “Alright then, Stell. Shall we sit down? Dinner will be served in about half an hour but I’ve ordered bellini for us.” she gestured to the table behind them.

Stell nodded and waited for John Paulo to walk ahead of him before he followed suit. But John Paulo placed his hand on Stell's back and nudged him forward first. Stell was suddenly embarrassed by the light touch, if only because he was far too aware of Tita Grace's eyes on them, not disapproving, but definitely observant.

“Stell brought you something,” John Paulo said gently when they had sat down. John Paulo sat to his right, with his mom sitting across from them. Stell suddenly felt caged with the proximity around him but it wasn’t unwelcoming.

When John Paulo nudged him again, he remembered what his boyfriend had just said. Flushing slightly, he pulled the bag he had at his side and handed it across the table. “It’s not much but I hope you like sweets,” Stell smiled nervously.

“I love sweets!” she confirmed, taking the bag and unwrapping the box inside. “Oh! these are so cute and look absolutely delicious. Thank you!” she smiled. Stell beamed back happily in response.

“And you were worried she wouldn’t like them,” John Paulo teased lightly.

“Sejun, don’t expose me like that!” Stell complained, forgetting the setting and falling into the familiar banter between them.

He looked towards Tita Grace sheepishly but she didn’t look displeased by the display at all. In fact she looked sort of amused.

“Sejun, huh?” she quipped. “Who would have thought Paulo would have such a cute nickname?” she chuckled. “Can I call you that too?” she teased.

“No,” John Paulo declared, frowning.

“Alright fine, I see that it’s special,” she tinkered, laughter increasing at the pink blush that dusted both Stell and John Paulo's cheeks. “You’re so stiff, here have a drink and maybe that’ll loosen both of you up.” she smiled, offering the drink for the three of them. Stell accepted shyly muttering ‘toast’ before downing the liquid.

“So I heard that you’re studying business management, is that right?”

Stell nodded at the question. “Yes, I’m in my third year now so half-way through the program.” he smiled.

“You must be very smart then. The business program in your university isn’t the easiest to get into and certainly not the easiest to stay in either.”

Stell's face coloured at the compliment. “I wouldn’t say that,” he shook his head shyly. “Sejun doesn’t seem to think I’m very smart at any rate.” he joked. His eyes widened when he realized whom he was speaking to. This was John Paulo's mom and she definitely didn’t want to hear Stell talking negatively about her son – the same son that Stell was supposed to be dating.

What he said was intended as a joke – an untimely one – but Stell had let it slip anyway. He was about ready to bang his head against the table and then maybe flee before dinner even arrived when he heard laughter echoing from in front of him.

“Did he call you stupid? Wow John Paulo, where are your manners?” she asked, turning to glare playfully at John Paulo.

Stell's mouth fell open in shock. He hadn’t been expecting a reaction like that from John Paulo's mom. She was so polished, so well dressed and Stell could feel that she was important just being in her presence. He had honestly expected a stuffy woman who didn’t know how to joke and whom he would have to tread around very carefully but it was a refreshing change of pace to see that she was so playful.

“Only jokingly ” Stell assured. “Sejun"s actually very sweet,” he smiled, meaning the compliment. He felt John Paulo's fingers linger on the back of his hand lightly at the praise. Stell flashed him a bright smile before turning his attention back to his mom. “He goes out of his way to be sweet too,” he continued. “You know, he changed all the coffee in his apartment because I don’t like instant coffee. Or well, he asked you to, so thank you for that,” Stell blushed.

“Huh, I knew there had to be a reason for his sudden change of heart. Paulo doesn’t know much about caffeine so I’m glad someone is refining his tastes.” she laughed.

Stell found himself laughing along with Tita Grace. She was surprisingly just as easy to talk to as Stell found talking to John Paulo was. Her laugh was bubbly and she had a soft smile. Stell couldn’t help but smile back every time her mouth curved up and her cheeks caved in.

Once Stell had gotten over his initial nervousness, it was easy to fall into conversation with the older woman. She was gentle and kind but also witty and blunt. Stell liked that she was honest and didn’t hold anything back. He sip again of his liquor which definitely helped loosen him up a little more and made the conversation flow smoother.

Stell couldn’t help but admire her resolve and her strength. Even after losing her husband she was still working hard and doing her best to maintain her business. He started to like her even more after finding out that she had studied the same thing as he was currently studying when she had been in school, which he was sure to shoot John Paulo a glare at for failing to mention earlier.

It was commendable how she worked her way up the corporate ladder and was currently working as the Director of Operations at one of country's largest car manufacturing companies’ bases in their hometown. Stell learned that John Paulo's parents actually met at work which was cute. He couldn’t help but feel sad that he wouldn’t have a chance to meet John Paulo's dad which just made him feel awkwardly guilty so he tried not to think about that as much as possible throughout the dinner.

From the way his mom spoke about him though, it was hard not to wish for something that would never happen. Apparently he was a pretty great guy, which Stell completely believed when he was told that John Paulo took after him in both looks and personality.

“You have the same smile though,” Stell pointed out when Tita Grace made a joke about how no one could tell John Paulo was her son.

“I think that’s the only thing he got from me.” she laughed.

“Well if there was only one thing to get, I’m glad it was your dimples. They’re nice,” he complimented, blushing slightly at the admission.

“You’re so charming!” she smiled. “Paulo could learn a thing or two from you.”

“Uhm, you’re not supposed to talk poorly about me.” John Paulo protested.

“Sejun’s plenty charming,” Stell confirmed. “And romantic.” he cooed.

“Stell please don’t,” John Paulo sighed, rubbing his temple with his free hand.

“Please don’t, what?” his mom pressed. “Don’t listen to him dear. Tell me what you were going to say before Paulo so rudely interrupted. I want to hear just how romantic my son is.” she insisted.

Stell looked between John Paulo and his mom, offering Sejun a sheepish smile in apology before continuing. “He asked me to be his boyfriend while he took me stargazing!” he said hurriedly. He wasn’t sure why but telling Tita Grace this wasn’t as embarrassing as it should have been.

“Oh! that is romantic!” she agreed. Stell chuckled nervously at that, squeezing around John Paulo's hand in his as his boyfriend let out a distressed noise. His face was burning and Stell wanted nothing more than to kiss at the redness in his cheeks.

“I see what the city done you a lot of good.” she said to John Paulo pensively who ducked his head further in embarrassment at the statement.

Stell's eyed widened at the compliment, his own face burning a similar colour to John Paulo's. His embarrassment only deepened when John Paulo agreed with his mother.

“Yeah, I’m glad I came here. It’s given me a lot to be thankful for.” he said firmly, finally lifting his head to meet his mother's eyes, squeezing Stell's hand beneath the table.

He thought his mother wouldn’t be able to see but she chuckled, eyes lingering to their entwined arms, making John Paulo and Stell both blush at having been caught. It was a simple action but one that left them both humbled all the same.

The conversation eased on like that until the food came. Even through dinner, Stell found himself nodding along to stories and reciprocating when prompted. He told Tita Grace about his family: his parents, his siblings, his nephew – and she told Stell everything John Paulo hadn’t told him about their family. Stell liked talking to her. And by the end of the night, he was feeling incredibly satisfied and happy, not just because the food had been absolutely fantastic.

It seemed like Tita Grace liked Stell just as much as Stell liked her. He couldn’t believe how relieved he felt at knowing this. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and when she hugged them goodbye after dinner, Stell returned the gesture without any of the hesitation from earlier on in the night.

“Did you take the train here?” she asked in the elevator down from the restaurant.

“We did,” John Paulo confirmed.

“Do you want a ride back home then?” she asked. “My car’s parked outside so if you’re tired I don’t mind.”

“No, that’s okay, we’ll take the train back.” John Paulo shook his head. Stell nodded his head to confirm his agreement. “Thank you, though.”

“Alright, have a safe trip then. Text me when you’re back so I don’t worry.” she smiled.

“We will.” John Paulo confirmed.

“It was really nice meeting you Tita Grace.” Stell added.

“It was nice meeting you too, Stell. I hope I can see you again soon.”

“Of course!” he confirmed.

“Great, I’m in the city for business until next Sunday before I have to head back to home. Maybe we can grab lunch sometime before I leave?” she offered.

Stell honestly thought that ‘I hope I can see you again, soon’ was just a thing people said to be polite. But hearing Tita Grace so quickly make plans again with him not only confirmed that she really did like him. It also made Stell's face split into a wide smile for the very same reason. He almost couldn’t believe he had made it through dinner with John Paulo's mom successfully and thinking about it just made him giddy.

“I’d love that!” Stell agreed happily. “Sejun knows my work and school schedule but I can always change shifts if our times don’t match up because of it. If anything, Sejun’s the one who is always busy so you should check with him first.” Stell teased.

“Then maybe we’ll just go out without him?” she answered swiftly.

“Hey?” John Paulo protested which his mother dismissed with an absentminded wave.

Stell bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing at John Paulo's putout expression. If they weren’t in front of his mom, Stell might have leaned down and kissed the pout away. It was cute how laidback he was with his mother. It made Stell happy to know that they were just as close as John Paulo seemed to have been with his father.

“Anyway, I’ll check my schedule when I get home and let you both know.” she confirmed, stepping out of the elevator.

Stell and John Paulo fell into tow behind her. She hugged and kissed them both again when they turned to walk in opposite directions once they had made it out of the building.

“Oh! before I forget,” she called, causing Stell and John Paulo to stop in their tracks and turn back around. “The theatre nearby is going to be playing the original three Star Wars movies tomorrow. If there are tickets still available, you should go.”

“How did you– ?” Stell gaped, at the suggestion.

“Your cufflinks are very tasteful,” she said in response before waving goodbye.

“What is she talking about?” John Paulo frowned, eyes moving down to Stell's wrists. He caught sight of the Millennium Falcon cufflinks and couldn’t help but shake his head, large smile spread wide across his face. “These are so you.” he admired.

“Your mom is really cool.” Stell sighed, leaning his head against John Paulo's shoulder while the other man weaved his fingers through Stell's tightly now that they were alone.

The neighboring city was busier from them, but even in the crowded streets with people brushing past their shoulders as they tried to make it to their destinations, Stell couldn’t notice anyone but John Paulo when they were absorbed in one another like this.

“As cool as me?” John Paulo teased.

“Cooler,” Stell responded instantly.

John Paulo chuckled at the response, moving his face to the side to quickly peck Stell's cheek. “She is,” he confirmed. “But she seems to think you’re pretty cool too. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No, it was actually really nice. She’s so witty and her sense of humour is way better than yours,” Stell teased. “I like her.”

“I’m glad.” John Paulo smiled.

“But I like you better, always.” Stell grinned cheekily.

“You sure you’re not just saying that so I go watch movies with you tomorrow?” he challenged.

“They’re not just movies Sejun,” Stell squawked. “Star Wars is a masterpiece. And they’re playing the originals so we have to go see them. Please?”

“I bet you’ve already watched them a hundred times.” John Paulo chuckled.

“So? They’re so good, I’d watch them all day if I could,” Stell countered.

“Hmm, I know something else I’d rather watch all day,” John Paulo teased, nipping at the underside of Stell's jaw a few times.

“Sejun?” Stell complained as heat spread across his cheeks. “I’m talking to you about Star Wars, don’t be so insensitive!” he protested.

John Paulo huffed but didn’t challenge him. “We can go tomorrow.” he said once they reached the entrance to the train station. John Paulo broke away from Stell's side momentarily to swipe his railway pass against the card reader.

“Really?” Stell asked brightly walking through the gate behind him.

“Yeah, and if the tickets are sold out, come over and we’ll watch them at my place. I’m sure you have the entire collection on DVD.”

“And Blu-ray!” Stell added, making John Paulo silently chuckle. “You’re not just saying that but actually have plans to distract me throughout the movie, do you?” Stell narrowed his eyes suspiciously as an afterthought.

“I try to do something nice and you suspect me of having different intentions?” John Paulo rolled his eyes. Stell raised his eyebrows disbelievingly. “Fine, maybe I was going to distract you a little,” he admitted, lips quirked in amusement. “But I won’t until the movies are over if that’s what you want.”

Stell smiled contentedly at that. “I knew I liked Sejun the best for reasons” he beamed dazzlingly, pulling John Paulo along into the station with him.

It was strange how in the span of two months, he had gone from not knowing John Paulo's name to having dinner with him and his mom, who apparently liked him enough to want to see him again. Stell could never have predicted the outcome of his year when it first started but thinking back, Stell didn’t think he would have wanted to predict it either.

How he could have imagined his year to unfold would never have been able to live up to the reality of it, anyway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's cute to imagine that our sunshine boy is fascinated by stars and star war movies is no exception too. I wonder what is his legit favorite..
> 
> 2020.June.03 - stay strong fellow a'tin  
> always be kind


	19. Coffee Prince Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .

On Wednesday, Stell had lunch with Tita Grace. Despite all the protests she put up, Stell insisted on paying for all of them. He still couldn’t believe he had allowed her to pay five digits for their full meal course. It was embarrassing and he didn’t think anything he could do would be able to fix that. But he could try by covering their lunch, since he had enough money for at least that much. 

It was a casual this time, since both John Paulo and Stell had to return to class afterwards. The weather was warm and the heat accompanied by a slight breeze. They ended up finding a restaurant not too far from the school campus that didn’t require a reservation where they were seated on the patio on the second floor. The view was nice, the food was great and the company was the best. 

Stell felt way more at ease during the lunch than he had during dinner on Saturday, despite the fact that he thought that had actually went pretty well. Maybe it was the casual setting or maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t completely alone with John Paulo and his mom. But his smiles came easier without the need for alcohol and he didn’t hold back on teasing John Paulo in front of his mom either – which she seemed to appreciate considering she joined in. 

John Paulo to his credit took the teasing like a pro. He made a few jabs at Stell himself, which Stell didn’t mind because he definitely deserved them. He maintained his adorably embarrassed expression for most of lunch. The banter was easy and Tita Grace didn’t make Stell feel as awkward as he thought she might have made him feel with her presence. 

Even in a yellow sundress and beige hat, she looked just as awe-inspiring as she had when she was dressed up formally. Stell couldn’t help but point that out to her, which made her smile and loop her arm through his as she pulled Stell and John Paulo along the path to their destination. 

Stell kept thinking how domestic all of it was and how easy it was to fall into a rhythm with the older woman. She was kind and treated Stell like a son as much as she treated John Paulo. She took an interest in his schoolwork, surprisingly considering she had studied the same thing as he was. But the way she kept her unwavering attention on Stell made him feel like what he was saying was the most important thing in the world. 

He had no doubt that her clear eyes conveyed firm leadership and fear when she needed them to. The way she looked at Stell as he was speaking showed nothing but warmth and admiration. It made Stell think that maybe her dimples weren’t the only thing John Paulo had gotten from her. He couldn’t help but see the similarities in their warm eyes. 

It was probably one of the best lunches he had, and when he walked back to class with John Paulo, he was very aware of how sore his jaw felt from smiling so much.

He had thought that their lunch on Wednesday was the last time Stell would see Tita Grace – at least for her current visit in city because they hadn’t specifically made any further plans. And that was fine because Stell was satisfied with her visit and how she seemed to like him, which was more than a success his books. So when she showed up at Coffee Prince on Thursday afternoon, Stell was very shocked and surprised, even if he was pleased to see her.

“Tita hi!” Stell greeted when she walked up to his queue. He hadn’t noticed that she was even waiting in line until she was standing in front of him and Stell had opened his mouth to ask for an order. 

“Hello dear,” she greeted brightly. “You look handsome even in your uniform!” she smiled making Stell's face light up. He could see JP eyeing him from his spot at the cash register to the left of Stell curiously.

“What can I get for you?” he asked, pointing to the menu above his head.

“Something sweet and cold. I’ll let you pick what you think is best though.” she smiled.

Stell nodded before turning around to grab a cup. He decided on an iced mango-green tea which wasn’t the sweetest thing on the menu but it was one of Stell's favourites all the same. Before handing the cup over to Tita Grace, he picked up a black marker and scribbled a picture of a sun with a pair of sunglasses similar to the ones she had sitting atop her head. 

“Iced mango-green tea. I hope you like it,” he smiled handing the cup to her. “Oh no! I’m not charging you for this,” he shook his head, waving the money she pushed towards him away. He would substitute it later from his own pocket. 

She pursed her lips slightly and Stell was mildly afraid he had upset her before her face perked up in a smile. “You’re too nice,” she tinkered. “And a flatterer!” she added, noticing the doodle. 

Stell face lit up once again but he coughed the embarrassment away. “Is there anything else I can get you?” 

“Actually, there is. I came to see when you got off work. I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping with me?” she asked thoughtfully. 

“Oh!” Stell responded, eyes rounding in surprise. “Is Sejun coming too?” 

“No,” she shook her head. “He’s too busy being a good student – said something about working on his design prototype. Does he leave you for school like this all the time?” she mused. 

Stell's lips curved unsurely. “Sometimes, but it’s not really leaving me for school,” he chuckled. “I’m glad he’s passionate about his work, I don’t mind,” Stell smiled.

Apparently that had been the right thing to say because Tita Grace’s face brightened ten-fold after Stell's proclamation. 

“At least he’s not slacking off,” she laughed. “Anyway, I know this is sudden and maybe a little bit awkward, but there was also something else I wanted to talk to you about. We don’t have to go shopping, dinner would be okay too.” she offered. 

Stell shook his head. “That’s okay, I like shopping, actually.” he reassured. 

“Great!” she beamed. 

“I end my shift in twenty minutes but I can probably leave early. Zio – he's supposed to be covering my shift when I'm done. He usually comes in early anyway and he's a friend so I'm sure he won't mind.” 

“That's alright, take all the time you need.” she assured. “I'll just wait at one of the empty tables and sift through e-mails.” she chuckled, waving to Stell before taking her drink and heading to find a seat. 

Stell was nervous about why Tita Grace suddenly wanted to go shopping with him. But she didn't look upset so he figured whatever it was that she said she wanted to talk to him about couldn't have been bad. It made him a little curious and he was looking forward to it, even if John Paulo wasn't coming with them. 

“Who was that?” JP asked, sliding up next to Stell once he was finished with the orders he had been working on. 

“Sejun's mom.” Stell responded with a smile. 

“Whoa, she's so… pretty,” JP admired. 

Stell stifled his laughter in his hands. “She is, isn't she? Doesn't look anything like Sejun though, except for when she smiles. Then you can tell they're related.” 

“Hmm, she's kinda intimidating too so I can see that in him.” JP chuckled. 

Stell tilted his head thoughtfully in her direction. “Huh, you're right?” he mused. 

“Did she come to visit you at work or something?” 

“Something like that,” he nodded, chewing his bottom lip nervously. “She said she wanted me to go shopping with her,” Stell admitted. “Actually, she said there's something she wanted to talk to me about…” he added nervously. 

“Wow! look at you, impressing his mom. So this is pretty serious huh? I mean, he introduced you to his mother so that’s got to mean something.” 

Stell blushed but nodded. 

“Don't worry, she was smiling the entire time she was here. I honestly thought she was just some older lady taken in by your charm but I guess not. So I don't think anything she wants to talk to you about is bad," JP reassured. 

“Thanks, I kind of figured that but it still makes me a little nervous. Especially because it'll just be the two of us.” Stell's face twisted nervously. 

“Really?” JP asked wide-eyed. “Not that I think that's a bad thing,” he added at noticing Stell's pained expression.

“Hmm, I guess,” Stell answered vaguely. He moved away from JP when the next order came up but as soon as he was done, JP moved back in towards him. 

“She's so pretty,” JP sighed, turning to face John Paulo's mom again. 

Stell chuckled at the reaction. “Do you have a crush or something?” he teased. 

“No way,” JP shook his head. “I’m just stating facts,” he defended. 

“I just saw Zio enter so I’m going to let him know I’ll be leaving a few minutes early. I’ll meet you back here in a bit.” 

“That’s perfectly fine.” he grinned. 

He head to the employee room where he saw io walk to when he came into the store. Stell couldn’t help but wonder if he looked nervous, but she was an important woman and it was a little intimidating being in her presence even without the expectations of being her son’s boyfriend. 

Stell returned back to their table after having changed into the clothing he wore to school. He kind of wished he had something better to wear because while he didn’t look bad in his ripped, light blue jeans, red low top converse and simple, white t-shirt, he looked kind of out of place next to Tita Grace in her navy skirt and cream-coloured blouse. If she minded, she didn’t bring it to Stell's attention because she beamed at him when she noticed Stell walking back towards them. 

“You’re looking as handsome as ever,” she complimented, picking up her phone and purse and standing up to pull Stell into a hug now that he didn’t have his apron on. “Oh! I should have gotten a picture of you in your uniform, it was so cute.” she cooed.

Stell flushed, grateful that he had changed out of his work clothes before that could happen. He liked Tita Grace just fine but that photo would have been embarrassing as hell, and John Paulo would probably never let him forget it. 

“Nothing compared to you though,” Stell responded easily, swiftly avoiding the second part of her statement. 

She grinned at Stell in response, but didn’t wave the comment off. “Thank you for keeping me company, JP. The next time I’m in the city, I’ll make sure that Paulo lets me meet all of his friends, properly,” she promised. 

“Okay,” JP nodded enthusiastically. “It was nice to meet you, have a good time!” 

“Likewise,” she greeted, looping her arm through Stell's before pulling him towards the door. 

They ended up going to the shopping district in the neighboring city. It made Stell a little self-conscious because that wasn’t the usual place he liked to shop but it was nice and he didn’t mind the change of scenery. It was busy with tourists and mid-day dwellers but despite the congestion, Stell found himself liking it there. 

One thing he loved about city was all the people, which was odd since many people thought that was the downside of the city. 

Having grown up in a smaller town though meant that the crowd, the bustle and liveliness that living in city brought was a welcome change. Stell was surprised at how well he fit into the city life but he supposed he had Josh to thank for that. Being accustomed to having grown up in city himself, Josh had been the best tour guide in their first year. 

While Stell still missed his hometown and the quietness of the night sometimes, he enjoyed the city. He often found himself hoping for a job in the big city when he graduated. It would be difficult for sure but it would also be a good experience.

Since his place wasn’t very far from the shopping district, they took the train. Stell hadn’t expected John Paulo's mom to tell him what she wanted to speak to him about right away, and especially not during their commute. But that didn’t stop him from glancing at her expectantly every few minutes through their conversation.

They treaded safer topics, like work and Stell's end of year business fair proposal that was due soon. 

“Do you have a team yet?” she asked as they strolled past large groups of people on the streets. Stell wasn’t sure which store they were heading to but he had no qualms about visiting certain ones, so he let Tita Grace lead.

“I have two people who have already agreed, but the third one is going to be a lot more difficult to convince. I have my eye on this one girl who is incredibly sharp-witted and intelligent, but the only problem is that this Keith is trying to convince her to be on his team as well. I can’t submit our final teams until I’ve got a group of four and I don’t want anyone other than her.” he admitted.

“That’s tough,” she sympathized. “I doubt this Keith fellow has as much charm or talent as you do, so I’m sure she’ll be convinced to join you in the end.” 

“You have to say that because you’re biased,” Stell smiled. “Besides, Keith is plenty talented. His team came in first place last year and he consistently beats me by 1% in every class.” Stell confessed begrudgingly. 

“Well, as long as you’re allowed to, I’d be happy to help you with your project in any way that I can.” she offered. 

“Oh! you don’t have to do that,” Stell shook his head quickly. “You’re a busy woman and I don’t want to bother you.” he trailed off quietly. 

“Stell, honey, it’s not a bother at all. I want to help you.” she smiled reassuringly. 

Stell hesitated before he nodded, accepting the aid. “Thank you.” he said sincerely. 

“Not a problem,” she replied swiftly. “Now tell me about this Keith guy so we can crush him.” she chuckled.

Stell grinned, “We were teammates in high school, now with JP on the boys dance troupe and also studying business management. He’s an overachiever, that’s for sure, which would be fine if he wasn’t also the biggest pain in my side.” he admitted. 

“You’re kidding me, right?” Tita Grace paused with shocked reaction. He wasn’t sure if the response was because of her word choice, or because she was actually confused about his rival's achievements. 

“No?” Stell asked hesitantly. 

“Why am I not surprised that De Guzman's son is as annoying as he is.” she muttered under her breath. 

“You know them?” 

“Keith's dad is only the most frustrating person I have to deal with every time I visit this city. He’s the Director of Operations of one branch in the company and he always has to argue with every decision I make.” she scowled. 

Stell barked a laugh. “I can’t believe this – the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. Sejun doesn’t understand how annoying Keith is and won’t let me complain about him. He says I’m being childish and to give him the benefit of the doubt or something like that.” Stell complained, lowering his voice to do a poor impression of Sejun's tone. 

“Paulo doesn’t know anything,” his mother waved off. “Well, now you’ve just got more of a reason to kick Keith's ass, right?” she beamed. 

Stell was taken off guard by the sudden uncouthness but the shock lasted for a few seconds at best. He smiled broadly, nodding his head eagerly at the statement. “Of course!” he declared. “I’ve got both of our honours to uphold now.” 

“You’re funny,” she complimented. “Oh, let’s go in here,” she beckoned pointing to the sign that read Signet Store. Stell didn’t exactly need more suits but he shrugged allowing himself to be tugged into the store anyway. 

“Are you buying something for Sejun?” Stell asked, eyes gazing around the posh interior of the store. 

All the more expensive suits were lined along the white marble walls, making each piece look like its own work of art. It was a fancy store but busy with sales assistants dressed in sleek black clothing, walking engaged with the customers around them. The ceiling was high and vaulted to make it look even larger than it actually was - in the center there was a large chandelier with bright lights that made the entire store look like it was sparkling. 

Stell could appreciate the good marketing – the atmosphere of the store just made him feel important. 

“No, I wanted you to pick out a tuxedo,” she smiled hesitantly. “Unless you already have one but I figured it wasn’t the kind of thing people brought with them to school.” 

“Uhm… me?” Stell asked disbelievingly. 

“I know, it’s an odd request but this is actually what I wanted to talk to you about.” She gestured for Stell to move to the side where the selection of tuxedos was kept. “The company I work for holds a charity banquet twice a year – once in September and once in April,” she explained.

“Before accepting a teaching post at university, my husband worked for a long time within the manufacturing company I still work at developing a lot of the designs and testing. He still volunteered with the company during his free time even after he stopped working there so they want to present him with a contribution award this weekend at the banquet. I want Paull to accept it but he doesn’t want to considering the banquet is on Saturday and that’s also the day of his birthday, so he feels like it would be inappropriate.”

His birthday? Stell wasn’t aware of that. His eyes widened at the new information which didn’t go unnoticed by Tita Grace. 

“He didn’t tell you, did he?” she asked softly. 

Stell's lips curved down in a frown as he shook his head. “No.” 

“I’m sorry, I should have let him tell you that.” she apologized. 

“That’s alright,” Stell said quickly. “Besides, I don’t think he would have told me at all considering it’s Wednesday and we’ve been talking about another friend of ours’ birthday that’s next week for a while now.” 

“I hope you won’t be too hard on him for not telling you. He’s never liked celebrating his birthday and with the added pressure from me. I’m sure he wanted to avoid it more than ever this year.” 

“It’s okay.” Stell tried a small smile which looked completely out of place on his face given his mood, but he attempted it all the same. 

The truth was, Stell could understand where John Paulo was coming from, so while he was a tad bit hurt that he didn’t tell Stell about his birthday, he really wasn’t going to chew him out for that. “So, you wanted me to talk to him about accepting the award?” Stell prompted, before the conversation could veer off topic. 

“Sharp,” she complimented. “But yes, I was hoping you’d be able to convince him.” she smiled sheepishly. 

Stell felt like it wasn’t his place to convince John Paulo about going to a charity banquet and accepting an award for his father. Stell didn’t know much about their relationship but he could assume they were close. While John Paulo had told Stell a little about how his dad died, he hadn’t divulged any details of their past together.

“I don’t know if he’s going to listen to me,” Stell said honestly. “And I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask him?” he continued. 

“I know what I’m asking you isn’t exactly easy but I think Paulo is just being stubborn. If he doesn’t end up coming, then that’s fine. I can understand that. I just want to make sure I’ve tried my best as his motherm” she explained. “It would be a huge favour if you could just try to talk to him Stell.” 

Stell looked away from the intensity of her stare. Suddenly, he felt bashful and was reminded why Tita Grace was such a successful businesswoman in the first place. How was he supposed to say ‘no’ to her when she didn’t give him any other choice? 

“I’ll do it, but I can’t promise it will work,” he offered. 

“That’s all I ask,” she smiled. “And if he does end up agreeing, I want you to come with him which is why we’re here.” she gestured. “It’s a formal event, so you’ll need to dress appropriately. Since this was my request I thought I should be the one to help you find the right outfit.” she beamed. 

Stell shook his head shyly but his protests seemed to go unheard. As much as he tried to tell Tita Grace that he was okay, he didn’t need her to get him a tux for the event, she insisted that she should. He wanted to point out that she was basing all of this on the assumption that Stell would even be able to change John Paulo's mind, which he still felt uneasy about. 

But if she was one thing, she was stubborn as Stell learned when he was thrown into a dressing room with a couple of different options to try on. He didn’t think he would ever even need a tuxedo but she was proving him wrong. 

He sighed as he tried on the material handed to him, wondering just how he was supposed to broach the topic of the banquet. Also how he was supposed to ask John Paulo what he wanted for his birthday, because even though his mom said he wasn’t huge on celebrating it, Stell couldn’t just ignore an important date like that.

Stell was still in a daze, too lost in thought about the conversation he had with John Paulo's mom and the heavy tux he was carrying in the shopping bag when he got home that evening. He didn’t have a clue what he was supposed to say to John Paulo, considering he felt that it really wasn’t his place to say anything. But he figured that since it was still Wednesday and the banquet wasn’t until Saturday evening, he had some time to mull over his approach. 

So when he opened his apartment door and was met with the sight of Josh, Ken and John Paulo hovering around the coffee table in the living room, Stell was completely blindsided. He didn’t know why but he suddenly had the urge to hide the shopping bag behind his legs which was a stupid idea because for one, it was too wide to be hidden and for another, it just made him look all the more suspicious. 

Thankfully, his boyfriend and his friends were far more interested in the coffee table or what was on the coffee table to notice Stell'z odd behaviour. 

“Hey Stell, come over here and check this outm” Josh beckoned, giving Stell a passing glance before turning his attention back to whatever it was that they were looking at so closely at. 

Grateful for the distraction, Stell dropped the bag on the ground close to the stack of slippers so that it was partially blocked by the wooden shelves that held them. He knelt down on the rug around the table as he tried to understand the source of their attention. 

“Where’d you go?” John Paulo asked, making space for Stell between him and Josh. He kissed Stell's cheek lightly before turning his head back to what Stell assumed was their prototype for their design class. 

“Shopping,” he answered vaguely. 

“By yourself?” John Paulo asked, surprised because Stell hated doing anything by himself. 

“Maybe I went on a shopping date?” he teased. “Kidding, kidding! I would never.” he promised, when he saw the frown on John Paulo's face. He brought his lips down to John Paulo's for a proper greeting, which also served as the distraction Stell needed. “What’s that?” he pointed to the object on the table when he pulled away, eager for a change in conversation topic. 

“It’s supposed to be a self-recharging drone,” Ken supplied. “The problem with a lot of drones, especially in commercial use for sensitive or dangerous environments, is that their power limit runs out too fast. We use up too many to complete one job which kind of defeats the purpose of using a drone in the first place ” he explained. 

“So how does it work?” Stell prompted.

“We currently don’t have a dependable fuel source so that’s what we’re trying to do. But once we have that locked, it should be able to clean out the fuel source and reuse it. We’re thinking of using an isobutanol base but the problem is trying to find something that can maintain its reactivity without causing any side reactions.” Ken continued.

“Huh, that’s pretty cool.” Stell agreed. He didn’t know the mechanics or even the chemistry behind how their drone was supposed to work. But he could appreciate the theory behind it. Or as much of the theory as he could understand. “I mean, not that I mind that you’re here, but why our apartment?” he gestured between himself and Josh.

“That would be my fault,” Josh answered. “They needed me to make the solvents necessary for the battery to run on.” he grinned, pointing to his discarded safety glasses and box of blue latex gloves. 

“So our apartment really is going to turn into a science dump.” Stell mused half-heartedly. 

“Are you going to kick us out?” John Paulo asked. 

Stell hummed as if he was thinking about doing just that. “I guess not. Just don’t blow anything up.” he sighed, giving in to the wide grins around him. “You’re crazy, all of you. I should just go hang out with JP because at least he understands how dangerous all of this is.” Stell chuckled. 

“I’m sure he’d love that but I’m warning you, he’ll just talk your ear off about Sejun's mom. Then ask you to tell him more about her considering he thinks it would be weird to ask Sejun himself – no offense,” Josh sent John Paulo a lazy grin. 

“Why would he do that?” John Paulo furrowed his brows in confusion. 

“He hasn’t stop raving about how nice and pretty Tita Grace is since she came into Coffee Prince this afternoon. He’s been texting me to tell him when Stell gets home ever since he left with her,” Josh chuckled. 

Stell felt his heart sink. He wasn’t exactly hiding that he had spent the afternoon with Tita Grace. But he didn’t want to tell him that in front of other people either. 

“You too?” Ken asked, pulling out his cell phone. “Look at these,” he ushered the device in Stell's hands. “Ever since I told him we wouldn’t be going to the gym with him this evening because of our project plans, he figured out we were at your place. He’s been sending me texts nonstop,” Ken complained. “I was tempted to block his number. But I figured he’d just get upset if he ever found out I did that and I don’t need a dejected JP on my case,” he laughed. 

“If I were you, I wouldn’t let JP near your mom,” Josh snickered. 

“Leave him alone, he just thinks she’s admirable.” Stell said gently. 

“But I think he does have a tiny bit of a crush so I’d be a little wary?” Ken added, hiding a laugh behind his smile. 

“You went shopping with my mom?” John Paulo asked, turning his head towards Stell. 

“Yeah,” he admitted sheepishly. “She kind of showed up out of the blue and asked me when I got off work.” 

John Paulo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Shopping for what?”

“Come on Sejun, don’t be so nosy,” Ken patted John Paulo's shoulder, sensing the sudden tension that emanated from him. 

Stell looked like a deer caught in headlights, even though he hadn’t actually done anything wrong. Still, he couldn’t help but feel as if John Paulo was pissed at him. John Paulo shrugged Ken's hand off his shoulders and looked past Stell's head to the shoe rack that he had dropped his bag behind. Stell followed his line of sight hesitantly. 

“It’s not a birthday present if that’s what you’re wondering.” Stell said quietly. 

“My mom told you didn’t she?” John Paulo glared. 

“In her defense, she thought I knew when it was.” Stell said quickly.

“Hey Ken, you hungry? I’m kind of craving for fried chicken, what about you?” Josh cut in, getting up and moving towards the door at lightning speed. Ken scrambled to his feet, leaving the prototype unmonitored on the coffee table and following Josh's lead. 

“Sounds perfect. Want us to bring you back anything?” Ken asked, turning towards Stell and John Paulo – a clear indication that they weren’t allowed to come with them. 

Stell shook his head. John Paulo ignored the question. Instead, John Paulo focused his attention on Stell, his lips pursing more with every passing second. Stell felt his throat dry up. He hadn’t felt this lost for words around John Paulo in a long time. 

“Alright! we'll see you later,” Josh greeted, slipping out the door with Ken in tow. 

It was painfully obvious that they were trying to get out of the apartment and away from the looming argument between John Paulo and Stell. Stell kind of wished they would have stayed, if only because he knew John Paulo was too nice to yell at him in front of other people. Now that his buffer was gone, Stell wasn’t sure he was going to get away from having to deal with his angry boyfriend.

“I’m sorry.” Stell blurted out the moment the door closer. He didn’t give John Paulo a chance to build up his anger. 

“For going shopping with my mom?” John Paulo questioned. 

“No,” Stell denied. “For not telling you.” he corrected.

“You don’t have to tell me what you do.” John Paulo frowned, moving away from the table and Stell.

Stell was mildly afraid he was going to follow Josh and Ken's lead and leave the apartment as well. But instead John Paulo sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him for Stell to sit on so they weren’t just kneeling around the coffee table uncomfortably. 

“I know but I feel bad about why I went out with her. I mean, I didn’t know what she wanted to talk to me about when we first went. I swear I thought she told you we were going out but then I realized she probably chose a time you were busy on purpose because of the topic…” he trailed off. He picked himself up from his spot around the coffee table and sat down on the couch next to John Paulo. 

Despite the fact that they were sitting right next to one another, Stell left a slight space between them that would have otherwise been filled by one of them. John Paulo eyed the space but didn’t do anything to close the gap. 

“Did she tell you about this weekend?” 

“She did.” Stell confirmed. 

“Did she tell you I didn’t want to go?” 

“Yeah but then she asked me to convince you,” he frowned. “I told her I didn’t want to and even if I did, you probably wouldn’t listen to me. But she was certain I had some kind of shot.” he fidgeted. 

“Do you want me to go?” John Paulo asked, moving his hand to hold Stell's. 

Stell was a little surprised by the touch, but not as surprised as he was when he felt John Paulo tug him closer to fill in the gap between their bodies.

“I want you to do what you want.” Stell insisted. “I told Tita Grace I’d try to convince you. But I’m going to have to apologize to her because I don’t think I can.” he answered honestly. “It’s your decision. I support you to do something that you've already decided as ‘right’ or ‘wrong'.’” he assured. 

John Paulo was silent for a moment before he nodded, pulling Stell's head against his chest. “I’m sorry.” he whispered against the top of Stell's head. 

“What are you apologizing for?” Stell asked disbelievingly. 

“For getting angry with you,” he admitted sheepishly. “And in front of other people too. That was unfair of me.” he apologized. 

Stell swallowed the lump in his throat. It was obvious that the subject of his dad was a touchy topic at best. And while Stell didn’t know much about the situation, he could still understand it. He wasn’t angry at John Paulo for getting so worked up if anything. Stell felt like he was guilty for unintentionally going behind John Paulo's back. 

“It was just Josh and Ken. I doubt they care. I was being kind of suspicious anyway.” Stell agreed, hoping to diffuse the tension. 

“Still, that’s not an excuse.” John Paulo answered apologetically. 

“I forgive you.” Stell smiled sincerely. “How about we just both forget this happened and agree we’re good?” 

John Paulo nodded, bringing his mouth to Stell's cheek and placing a soft kiss. “So I take it you don’t want to go to the banquet? I don’t mind either way, I’m just confirming that’s what you want.” Stell reassured. 

“Yeah, I’d rather not. They’re always stuffy events and I hate them.” John Paulo admitted. Stell knew the real reason was the award and the mention of his father but he didn't press it. The way John Paulo was looking at him, pained and sincere all at once was good enough for Stell at the moment.

“Oh thank god! I didn’t want to go either.” Stell breathed a sigh of relief. “I was told to come with you and I don’t think I’d do well in that kind of a situation.” 

“What are you talking about? You’d probably end up charming everyone around you. That’s why you’re studying business management, right? Because you’re good at talking to people?” John Paulo chuckled. 

“I’m not as good as your mom is though,” Stell retorted. 

“I can’t argue with that but to be fair, I don’t think many people are.” John Paulo admitted. “She’s kind of hard to say ‘no’ to.” 

Stell nodded sheepishly at the admission, if only because those were his thoughts exactly. He pulled his knees up and tucked them against his chest before pressing his back to John Paulo's side and settling himself against his boyfriend comfortably. 

“Does this mean I can return the tux now?” Stell asked, jerking his head towards the shopping bag. 

“Is that what you bought?” 

“Yes, although I didn’t pay for it so it’s technically what your mom bought. You’ve got to tell her to stop paying for me, Sejun. It’s so embarrassing and she won’t listen when I tell her it’s okay.” he said abashedly. 

“I’m so sorry,” John Paulo apologized embarrassedly. “We can return it this weekend,” he promised, pulling Stell down so his head rested in John Paulo's lap. “And I’ll talk to her about paying for things. She thinks she’s being nice but I can see that it would make you feel uncomfortable.” he answered, pulling his fingers through Stell's hair softly. 

“You know I still like her, right?” Stell asked, peering up at John Paulo. 

This was still John Paulo's mom they were talking about and he didn’t begrudge her for wanting Stell to talk to John Paulo or even for wanting to pay for his things. She was just trying to look out for John Paulo after all. Stell could understand that since his mother was like that too. 

“I wasn’t worried that you didn’t,” he smiled amusedly. “Although I doubt you like her as much as JP from what I just heard?” he teased. 

Stell turned his face to hide it in John Paulo's stomach as laughter racked his entire body. “Poor JP,” Stell chuckled, moving away slightly. “Josh's never going to let him live this down.” Stell said, bursting into laughter at the thought again. 

“I’m never going to let him live this down either.” John Paulo snorted, trying to stop his own laughter from escaping in loud bursts. 

“Maybe you should get your mom to tell JP to ask Charles out. I bet he’d listen to her.” Stell teased. John Paulo laughed in response, nodding his head in agreement.

Stell was glad that John Paulo wasn’t angry with him, even if he hadn’t even been able to follow though with Tita Grace's request. He didn’t think she had any bad intentions but Stell was grateful that he hadn’t tried to convince John Paulo to do something he didn’t want to. Even if Stell had been able to make him go, he would have felt guilty about it. And that wasn’t something he was sure he could live with. 

“Can I ask you something?” Stell asked once they had both calmed down from laughing. He had shifted his weight horizontally, so that his legs were still tucked against his chest but now his head was resting in John Paulo's lap. 

“Sure,” John Paulo nodded. 

“What do you want for your birthday?” Stell asked sheepishly. 

“Nothing.” John Paulo replied instantly. 

“That’s not fair. Everyone wants something,” Stell prodded.

“I don’t,” John Paulo assured firmly. Stell raised his eyebrows disbelievingly in his direction. “I’m serious, I don’t want anything.” 

“Are you just saying that and then will actually get angry when I don’t get you something? Or are you going to be angry if I do get you something?” Stell pressed. 

“Neither,” John Paulo assured. “I don’t want anything for my birthday but you can do whatever you want. I promise I won’t be angry either way.” he said, bending down to press a kiss to Stell's nose, which wrinkled at the vague answer. 

“Ugh!! you’re being so difficult!” Stell complained. “Why can’t you just be a normal person and ask for what you want?” he sighed theatrically.

“Because I don’t want anything,” he insisted. “I’m happy with just spending the day with you, alright?” 

“Oh so you do want something,” Stell teased. When John Paulo quirked his brow up in confusion. Stell continued, “You want me to spend the day with you, huh?” 

“Well, yeah?” John Paulo said nervously.

“Just me?” Stell asked, eyelashes fluttering low.

“What, you don’t want to?” 

“Don’t be silly! of course I do,” Stell chuckled. “I was just teasing. But really, if that’s all you want then can we go to Art in the Park? Then maybe to Little Tokyo for dinner later?” he asked hopefully. 

“I’d like that.” John Paulo confirmed, smiling down at Stell's beaming face. Stell couldn’t help it when his own smile turned into a grin as he stared up at John Paulo's happy face. 

“Next weekend, Justin wants to have a small get together at his and Ken's to celebrate his birthday. I’m sure he’ll turn into a joint party once I tell him your birthday was just a few days before his.” Stell said eyes sparkling with a teasing glint. 

John Paulo groaned. “Don’t do that!” he said warily. 

“Too bad Josh and Ken were here when I said what I bought wasn’t a birthday present. If I don’t say something to Justin, one of them will. I can bet it’ll be Josh. He’s fantastic at putting things together,” Stell stated smugly. 

“Yeah?” John Paulo asked. “Like how he figured out what my name was before I told you?” John Paulo teased. 

“What?!” Stell screeched, sitting up straight and almost knocking his head into John Paulo's face along the way. “How’d you know that?” he asked, face flushed. 

“Josh told me,” John Paulo laughed at Stell's embarrassed reaction. 

“What else did he tell you?” Stell asked suspiciously. 

“That you were drooling over my profile picture.” he stated matter-of-factly. 

“What an asshole! I can’t believe he’d sell me out like that. I’m never telling him anything ever againa!” Stell huffed. “When did he even tell you this anyway?” he asked, narrowing his eyes further. 

“He called me a few nights ago at like 3 am. Don’t be so hard on him.” John Paulo chuckled when Stell let out a strangled cry. “He was pretty drunk when he called. He said it was a secret so at least he covered his bases.” 

Stell didn’t look amused with the reaction, so John Paulo pulled his head back down in his lap to card through his hair softly. “If it’s any consolation, I thought it was cute and definitely a bit stalkerish.” he teased. 

“You’re so mean to me Sejun,” Stell whined, burying his face in his hands. 

“Aw, come on! don’t be embarrassed. At least, don’t hide it when you are. It’s cute.” he grinned, pulling Stell's hands away from his face. From this angle, Stell could see right into John Paulo's brilliant eyes. The way he was looking down at him so serenely like he was staring right through Stell instead of at him made Stell self-conscious but it also made him feel important. 

“I’m going to get you an ugly shirt for your birthday and you’ll have to wear it because it’s from me!” Stell threatened. 

“For real?” John Paulo snorted. “Who made up that rule?”

“Well as my boyfriend you have to,” Stell argued. “Unless you don’t like me enough to wear something I buy you.” he sniffed. 

“Hey, I never said that.” John Paulo started nervously. 

“You basically did.” Stell pouted, eyes watering instinctively. 

“Stell, come on? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I’ll wear any clothes you buy me. I won’t even call them ugly,” he assured. 

The crease in John Paulo's eyebrows disappeared the moment he saw Stell's wide grin, knowing he had been played. 

“You asshole!” he cursed, rolled Stell off the couch and onto the rug below them. “I can’t believe you!!” he chuckled, knees placed on either side of Stell's giggling body, face hovering inches from Stell's own. 

“Did I make you mad?” Stell teased. 

“Hmm, maybe?” John Paulo answered vaguely. The smile threatening to break across his face said otherwise though. 

“What are you going to do about it?” Stell asked mischievously. 

“This,” John Paulo replied before running his fingers along the length of Stell's sides. 

“Sejun, that tickles,” Stell complained squirming underneath John Paulo's grasp. But having John Paulo on either side of him made it impossible for Stell to break out of his boyfriend’s hold. “Stop, stop, I surrender,” he insisted, tears streaming down his face from laughing so hard. 

“I’m not sure I believe you,” John Paulo replied, slowing down the tickling but not stopping completely. 

“I promise I won’t get you an ugly shirt!” Stell yelled. “I won’t fake being upset when I’m not either!” he continued. “Sejun, my sides – my sides are aching!!” he wailed. 

“Okay, I think you’ve had enough,” he agreed, pulling his hands away from Stell's side. Stell took the opportunity to wrap his hands around John Paulo's wrists, pulling him flush against his chest. The only thing keeping John Paulo's weight off of Stell was the fact that he had caught himself in the sudden pull and managed to move some of the weight off of Stell's chest and maintain it on his knees. 

“What are you doing?” John Paulo smiled, eyes glossing over Stell's face, flushed in a light pink from laughing so hard. The proximity also made his face glow pinker thanks to the embarrassment, which John Paulo was quick to notice. 

Stell didn’t think he would ever get over how handsome John Paulo was and how just being close to him made him feel happy enough to spread heat across his face. 

“Getting you back,” he replied simply. He smiled charmingly at John Paulo – eyes crinkled in happiness and his teeth flashed for a brief second before he pulled at John Paulo's hands a little more, tugging his face down towards his. 

John Paulo didn’t hesitate to kiss Stell back, moving his hands out of Stell's grip to cup his face lightly, breathing in Stell's scent deeply as he poured his feelings out against Stell's lips. It was sweet, and soft, and chaste – it reminded Stell very much of their first kiss which made him grin against John Paulo's lips.

They were both so lost in the feeling of touching one another, moulding their lips against one another, breathing in one another that they didn’t notice the door unlock and Josh and Ken walk back in. 

“Oh gross~ I fucking told you they were fine,” Noeh said pointedly. 

Len looked embarrassed but pleased. “Sorry,” he apologized when Stell and John Paulo broke away from each other to look at him. They were still lying on the ground and with Stell's head facing away from the door. Ken looked sheepish and Josh just plain unamused with their antics. 

“Are you going to just stand there?” Stell asked after a while. John Paulo was busy staring at the rug that Stell was lying against, red-faced and embarrassed. 

“You going to kick us out?” Josh asked. “Of my own home?” 

“No, you can stay if you want but we’re not moving,” Stell said smugly.

His threat backfired though when Josh moved to take off his shoes. “Stell,” John Paulo hissed, at the same time Ken muttered, “No, Josh, we’re leaving.”

“So are we really staying here?” John Paulo asked once Josh and Ken had left again and his face recovered from the embarrassment. He looked up to make sure the door was locked, so there couldn’t be any more untimely interruptions. 

“Hmm,” Stell agreed absentmindedly, tracing the outline of John Paulo's biceps with the pads of his fingers.

“Last time you complained about your back being sore in the morning.” John Paulo reminded gently. 

“Too bad, I don’t want to move.” Stell huffed. 

“So spoiled,” John Paulo chuckled, kissing the petulant expression off his face.

“Does it bother you?” Stell questioned innocently. 

“Not a chance,” John Paulo replied without missing a beat. He moved back to kissing Stell as if they hadn’t been interrupted at all. 

And while Stell very much wanted to complain the next morning about how his back was sore, he couldn’t find it in himself to. Not when he had been the one to maintain their position in the living room and certainly not when he had a very good reason to deal with a sore back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) ?


	20. Coffee Prince Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the delay, got distracted with the food!!  
> kidding~ RL happenings drained me good thing Sejun's live stream became my lullaby 😭😍 one less insomiac ahaha
> 
> Enjoy reading!!

The next day, Stell found himself cooped up in his apartment at 7 pm despite it being a Friday. With John Paulo busy in class on Fridays until late, Stell didn’t mind taking on the evening shift because at least that meant that he and John Paulo could walk home together after his tutorial ended.

It was a routine that they had accidentally fallen into but Stell didn’t mind at all. Mondays and Wednesdays they had enough time to eat lunch with one another in between classes but their schedules conflicted otherwise. So Fridays were nights where Stell had something to look forward to. It was especially nice at the end of the week, with the promise of their time together rolling over into the weekend.

Most of the time, Stell ended up staying over at John Paulo's, thanks to his lack of roommate. Sometimes whether Josh was home or not, John Paulo would stay over at Stell's because while Stell loved spending time with John Paulo, he also missed his friends and thankfully, John Paulo was happy to oblige.

Considering that this had been a routine for almost two months now, it was strange for Stell to have opted out of a Friday shift and avoided walking home with John Paulo, which in turned meant that Stell would not be spending the night with his boyfriend.

He was busy though and he had a plan. There was a perfectly good explanation for why Stell wasn’t working his usual shift. He had dismissed the idea of him and John Paulo spending the night together with the excuse of having an essay due by midnight that he claimed he had completely forgotten about.

That was a lie but if John Paulo knew that Stell never did things at the last minute – the anxiety of not completing a task on time being too much – he didn’t question it.

“No offense,” Josh started, breaking Stell out of his focus, “but why are you home?” he asked, having caught sight of Stell in the kitchen with an apron tied around his waist. A slight sheen of sweat covered his forehead but whether that was from worry or exertion was anyone’s guess.

Stell wrinkled his nose in distaste at Josh's tone of voice. He contemplated ignoring Josh entirely but he had known the man long enough to know that what he said really hadn’t been meant to offend him. And if he ignored the question then Josh wasn’t likely to leave Stell alone.

“It’s Sejun's birthday tomorrow,” he answered dully, turning away from Josh who was still standing by the end of their door that was connected to the kitchen by a small entrance in the wall.

“Oh I thought it might be soon. I didn’t know it was tomorrow though.” Josh hummed thoughtfully to himself. “Still doesn’t answer why you’re home on a Friday. Isn’t this like your impromptu date night or something? And if it’s his birthday tomorrow, shouldn’t you, I don’t know.. be spending time with him?” he called over his shoulder.

Josh placed his shoes neatly on the shoe rack, dropped his bag on the floor by his bedroom door and padded into the kitchen where he was met by the mess that Stell had created.

“Whoa! what is this?” he asked, stifling his laughter in his hands as he took in the sight of the array of ingredients lining the limited counterpace.

“Don’t laugh at me!” Stell chided, turning around to point the knife he had been using to thinly chop meat absentmindedly in Josh's direction.

“Relax,” Josh calmed, maneuvering himself carefully, out of Stell's path of trajectory. “I wasn’t laughing at you. I was just asking what you’re doing with all this food?” he placated, eyes going slightly wider at the lack of space in the kitchen.

Stell frowned but put the knife down on the cutting board between the half-cut potatoes and carrots. He turned on the tap to wash his hands before drying them on his apron messily. The kitchen was too cluttered for him to even spot a hand towel at the moment, let alone find one.

“For someone so good at piecing information together, you’re kind of dumb when you want to be.” Stell answered flippantly.

Josh rolled his eyes. “I’m not dumb, I know what you’re doing.” he insisted.

“Then why’d you ask me?” Stell narrowed his eyes.

“I thought it would be funny to make you say it.” he mused, grinning widely. Stell shoved his shoulder lightly but didn’t protest.

He supposed the sight of him actually cooking was something to marvel about. It wasn’t that Stell was bad at making food. He's a good cook but he just didn’t have the time which was why he ended up eating out so often.

“You must really like him if you’re going through the trouble of cooking.” Josh mused. “Or you must really hate him and want to poison him.” he added cheekily.

“Josh?” Stell whined childishly before asking, “Do you really think it’ll taste bad?” He eyed the broth ingredients that he hadn’t put into the pan yet to test out. He nervously resume chopping as he chew his bottom lip between his teeth as he thought about the chances of his dishes actually coming out the way it was supposed to.

“No, I’m just teasing you.” Josh said quickly, noticing the panic and insecurity settle on Stell's face. “Want help?” he asked, jerking his head towards the scattering of ingredients everywhere.

“Really? You want to help?” Stell asked suspiciously. “What’s the catch?”

“What? I can’t just want to help you because I’m a good friend? I’m hurt.” Josh sighed, clutching his shirt with his right hand.

Stell rolled his eyes at the gesture but a small smile found its way onto his face all the same. “Alright, you can help,” he agreed, upon deciding that Josh genuinely did want to help without getting anything in return. “I still have to make the dashi stock for the nikujaga. So if you want to start that, I have the recipe next to the fridge and all the ingredients you need set up next to it.”

“Huh, so this isn’t just a random assortment of ingredients?” he said more to himself than Stell, noticing that what he previously thought was a cluttered mess was somewhat of an organized mess.

Stell had set up mini stations around the kitchen with recipes and their respective ingredients. It made Josh oddly proud of his friend, if a little wary because what was he going to do with all that food? All the same, Josh nodded and headed for the sink to wash his hands before grabbing a spare apron and taking his place near the fridge to start up on the dried kelp for the broth.

They worked together like that for about twenty minutes, Stell's phone blasting music to fill in the silence between them. While the only other sounds in the kitchen were the clanking of utensils against bowls and knives against the chopping board.

While they weren’t normally quiet around one another especially not when cooking, Stell was too focused on preparing the food in front of him to pay much attention to Josh. And Josh was seemingly busy doing the same thing, not wanting to upset Stell and be the reason for failure.

“Are you cooking the nikujaga today or do you just want me to prepare the dashi stock? How about the meat?” Josh questioned when he had finished mixing all the ingredients he needed together. The only thing that remained to be added was the packet of dried bonito flakes that were neatly stacked in the fridge.

“Nah, that’s okay, I already started to slow cook the meat.” he replied after thinking about it for a few seconds. It would leave him with a lot to cook in the morning but at least the prep work would have been completed.

“Yeah, no problem. Anything else?”

“Yeah,” Stell answered sheepishly. “How the fuck do you separate egg whites from the egg yolk?” he mumbled quickly, turning his head so that Josh couldn’t see his embarrassment, which was futile because the question caused an outburst from the other man anyway.

“Stop laughing, you jerk!”

“Holy shit, I’m sorry but I was not expecting that,” he admitted, wiping a tear that had slipped down his cheek.

“That wasn’t even funny! We don't have a funnel you know.” Stell protested, bottom lip jutting out in displeasure.

“It was kind of funny,” Josh reasoned, sobering up. “Give me the eggs, I’ll do it for you. Guess I can put my chemistry lab skills to use in the kitchen?” he agreed, holding his hand out for the eggs and the bowl that was on Stell's side of the kitchen. “What do you need to do this for anyway?” he asked as an afterthought.

“I wanted to make a traditional cheesecake,” Stell admitted. “Sejun doesn’t like sweets so I didn’t know what other kind of cake to make him considering they’re all sweet. I guess this one is or I could have made a bread or pretzels instead?” he trailed off, wondering if he should just scrap the idea now and save himself.

“Shut up, this is fine,” Josh said knowingly as he began carefully separating the egg yolks from the egg whites. Josh's firmness put that thought out of Stell's mind, if only for the time being.

“Stop showing off!” Stell frowned petulantly, watching Josh pass the yolk from one half of the eggshell to the other so quickly, while simultaneously letting the egg whites drip into the bowl below him.

“Jealous?” Josj grinned.

“Don’t look at me! Look at the eggs – you’ll fuck it up otherwise!” Stell screeched. “And I don’t need you showing off to me. Save that for the weak classmates you have.” Stell waved dismissively.

“I don’t need to purposely do anything to show off to them. I poured solvent from a large 5 L bottle to smaller 500 mL bottles and they thought I was a fucking king or something,” he rolled his eyes. “It’s not fun when they think everything I do is great,” Josh frowned.

“Oh yeah, that’s so terrible that you have fellow students who respect you.” Stell trilled.

“They don’t respect me, the little shits. They just admire me there’s a difference,” he insisted.

“If you say so.” Stell shrugged, covering the yawn that escaped him with the back of his hand.

“How long have you been up?” Josh eyed suspiciously.

“Since 5 am. I traded my evening shift for the morning one so that I could have time to come home and do this.” he admitted, face heating up slightly.

“Remember to go to bed on time.” he chastised. “Sejun had better appreciate all this or I will personally kick his ass.” Josh promised.

Stell stifled a laugh at his best friend’s words. Josh was a shit most of the time, but a loyal shit. And that was more important to Stell than any other quality his friend could have possessed. “Thanks,” he said embarrassedly.

Josh grinned in response before he returned to the task at hand. They were silent again for a few minutes before he asked, “Why are you making so much food?”

Stell paused, and looked around the kitchen. He hadn’t thought of it as so much food. But now that Josh mentioned it, he supposed he had gone a little overboard. Would John Paulo think it was too much as well?

He wasn’t sure where the doubtful thoughts were coming from, considering he hadn’t felt them in a long time around John Paulo. But it was suddenly like he had lost all of his confidence. Maybe it was the fact that he didn’t know what to cook. Or maybe it was the fact that John Paulo had said he didn’t want anything for his birthday. Stell felt that him making his boyfriend food counted as a birthday present.

But John Paulo cooked for him whenever Stell was spending time at his house and the number of times that instances are growing exponentially so really, this shouldn’t have been such a big deal and yet, it was.

Whatever the reason was though, it left his stomach unsettled and his palms sweaty. He tucked his hands into the small pockets of his apron and rocked back on the heel of his feet. To seemingly avoiding answering Josh's question before he gave into the ever-so increasing raised eyebrows.

“This is the dinner food we had on one of our date.” he admitted sheepishly. “I mean, not the cheesecake, but it’s not a birthday without a cake, right?” Stell insisted, shifting his head to avoid letting Josh see the blush that had taken over his face.

“You know, I want to make fun of you for this but that’s actually pretty romantic, so good for you, Stell,” Josh smiled, nudging Stell's arm with his elbow, lightly.

“You think?” Stell asked hopefully.

Josh frowned, putting the egg yolks into a spare bowl. He washed his hands before drying them against the front of his apron. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re acting weird, shy, nervous. Did you do something you want to talk about? Or did you guys not get over your fight from Wednesday?” he prodded gently.

Stell's face twisted at the question because Josh had seen through him. Was he just easy to read? Or did Josh sensing Stell's anxiety come from knowing him for three years?

“I’m pretty sure we’re over that,” Stell confirmed. Josh waited for him to continue patiently. “But Sejun said he didn’t want anything for his birthday. Yet here I am doing something for his birthday.” Stell admitted. He clenched the insides of the apron pockets his hands were still stuffed in tightly, as he waited for a response from Josh, who only nodded his head for Stell to continue.

“We had plans to spend the day at the park, which doesn’t require much effort and I don’t know, I guess I’d feel bad no matter what I did,” he laughed hollowly.

“He won’t care what you do.” Josh reassured.

“That’s what Sejun said.” Stell added quietly.

“Then why are you getting worked up about this? I’m sure he’d have been fine with you not doing a single thing for him for his birthday. But I’d bet all the money I have on the fact that he’ll be absolutely blown away by your effort, and thrilled about it too.”

“You think so?”

“Of course!” Josh answered without hesitation. The firmness of his voice had Stell feeling a bit better about the situation. “He likes you – enough to let you meet his mom,” Josh reminded. “That’s a pretty big deal so I guarantee he’ll be happy about this. Hell, he’d be crazy if he wasn’t, which won’t happen,” he added quickly. “And if it does, I’ll bring Ken to kick his ass since JP will probably scold me.” he laughed, lifting Stell's worries with a few words.

Stell chuckled at that. “Okay, yeah, you’re right,” Stell nodded slowly. “I’m a pretty good boyfriend, huh?” he asked, grinning goofily, eyes falling into half moons as the happiness wracked his body.

“Yeah, yeah, you nerd,” Josh agreed, ruffling Stell's hair affectionately. “Speaking of family though, are you going to let him meet yours?”

“They don’t really come to here much but yeah, I guess – I mean, why wouldn’t I?” Stell asked confusedly.

“Just make sure that he doesn’t meet your dad and your brother at the same time. Did you forget back in first year when they came to visit you? Your brother convinced your dad I was your boyfriend so they tried to arrest me?” Josh snorted.

“You’re exaggerating,” Stell huffed, fighting through the embarrassed blush that had taken over his face. “They wouldn’t have arrested you.”

“I was handcuffed!!” Josh deadpanned.

“You wouldn’t have been charged.” Stell waved dismissively. “That’s a violation of whatever oath it is that they have to take.”

“Your dad’s from Chief of Police. I’m pretty sure he could have arrested me if he wanted to and no one would have batted an eye.”

“That’s an abuse of power.” Stell rolled his eyes.

“They only let me go because you said I was already dating my crush, which I wasn’t at the time.” he reminded. “But I guess I can’t really be angry, since they scared the shit out of me. I would have rather faced my girl's rejection at that point than have them find out I wasn’t even in a relationship. That would definitely have given them a reason to arrest me.” Josh shuddered.

Stell chuckled at the memory. There weren’t many things that could frighten Josh but Stell's father and older brother were definitely two people who could. Having grown up with them, Stell was used to their quirks – he didn’t see them as police officers so much as his family, which cut down the intimidating aura for him. Objectively though, he understood where Josh was coming from.

He hoped that John Paulo's first meeting with them went much better than Josh's encounter.

“That was pretty great wasn't it?” Stell grinned. “But since you seem to be so nervous, I guess I won’t let Sejun meet my dad and my brother at the same time.” he chuckled lightly.

“You did tell him half your family is in law enforcement, right?” Josh asked suspiciously.

“I told him my dad and my brother were cops, yes.” Stell said pointedly.

“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one, you bastard. Next time I see him, I’m letting him know he’s going to be dealing with a Chief of Police and a Chief Inspector.” Josh chuckled, dodging the hand Stell swatted in his direction.

“Don’t you dare!” Stell yelled, face flushed from a mix of anger and embarrassment.

Josh raised an eyebrow challengingly. “Fine, I’ll tell him.” he conceded. “You know what? Wait, don’t tell him.” he added, face suddenly serious from his previous grin. “If they were ready to arrest me as your suspected boyfriend, I can’t wait to see what they do when they realize he’s actually your boyfriend! Call me when that happens, okay? I’m going to put that encounter up on the internet and become famous.” he cackled.

“You’re so annoying!” Stell complained then added sheepishly, “But you’re right, which is why I only told my mom and made her swear she wouldn’t say anything to my dad or my brother.”

“What about your sister?”

“Fuck, I forgot! My mom probably told her. She is great and all but she can’t keep a secret to save her life… holy shit! Sejun is going to be arrested?” Stell asked, as if the realization hadn’t dawned on him until that very moment.

“Probably,” Josh shrugged unhelpfully. “But considering they didn’t come down here already, I’d say he’s good for now.” he soothed when Stell glared at him accusingly.

“What happened to you being a good, supportive friend? Go back to making the stupid meringue.” Stell huffed.

“I thought all you wanted me to do was separate the egg yolks from the egg whites?”

“Yeah, well now you’ve been demoted to making the meringue too.”

“You don’t know what a meringue is, do you?” Josh laughed, pointing at the word on the recipe next to the bowl of egg whites.

“Ugh!” Stell screeched, turning back to the yakisoba he had been working on before Josh interrupted him.

Josh laughed loudly at Stell's putout reaction but he pulled out the hand mixer to whip the egg whites for the meringue anyway. Despite the embarrassment, a happy smile found its way onto Stell's face.

Josh may have been an asshole sometimes but Stell was grateful for a friend like him. While they didn’t voice their opinion of one another very often, it was times like these where Stell was reminded how important a good friendship really was and thankful that he had managed to find not one, but a few, even while being far from home.

\--------------

“That better be you Stell and you better have a good explanation for why you ditched me yesterday!” called John Paulo's voice from the other side of the door.

Stell grinned sheepishly when he heard John Paulo's gruff voice and his hands were heavy with food. He was feeling too ecstatic to let John Paulo's annoyance throw him off his good mood. Especially when he did have a good reason for why he didn’t hang out with John Paulo last night.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Stell yelled, lifting his arms to push the bags in his hands against John Paulo's chest when the other man opened his apartment door.

“Whoa, what’s this?” John Paulo asked, looking at the items Stell had thrust in front of him warily.

Stell's smile wavered slightly at the confused expression. John Paulo must have deemed that Stell didn’t go crazy on gifts when he noticed the plain bags instead of the telltale birthday bags and he chuckled, giving Stell the boost of confidence he so needed.

“It’s food for your birthday, duh.” Stell smiled, moving in past John Paulo and placing the bags that John Paulo hadn’t taken from his hand on the ground. “You haven’t eaten breakfast yet, have you? I didn’t want to wake you up too early but I also didn’t want to come by too late in case you had already eaten,” he admitted, chewing his bottom lip nervously.

“I haven’t eaten.” John Paulo reassured, pulling at Stell's elbow so that he could face him. He wrapped his arms around Stell's waist to pull him in close. “Thank you.” he acknowledged, placing a soft kiss on Stell's lips then his nose before moving away to pick up the bags that Stell had left on the ground to bring them to the kitchen.

Stell grinned brightly before padding after his boyfriend. He immediately tucked his hands around John Paulo's waist and nuzzled his head on his shoulder as John Paulo took the neatly packed containers out of the bags Stell had brought. Stell heard the vibration from his chuckle all the way through his body, which just made him tighten his hold around John Paulo.

“What are you chuckling about?” he hummed quietly, breathing in the smell of John Paulo's scented body wash. It was strong – Stell assumed that he had showered only recently, if his slightly damp hair was anything to go by.

“How cutely each container is wrapped,” he smiled. “It’s nice.” he added before Stell could get any ideas.

“Actually, that was Josh's suggestion.” Stell laughed.

“Huh, who would have guessed?”

Stell met his hesitant laugh because if he was being honest, he wouldn’t have pegged Josh as someone who knows about such cute decorations.

“Are you trying to feed me for an entire week or something?” John Paulo asked once he had taken out everything from the bags and set it on the kitchen counter.

“Nu-uh, I just wanted to make sure Sejun didn’t go hungry on his birthday.” Stell smiled, moving his head so he could mouth against the skin of John Paulo's neck lightly.

“Well I’d say you managed that and more.” John Pailo laughed. “So, what did you want to eat for breakfast?” he asked, pointing to the food he had set out on the counter.

“Hmm, well I was thinking we could have agedashi tofu, since you'll like it.” Stell smiled, moving away from John Paulo to pick up the container. “I fried it this morning.” he grinned proudly.

“That’s not exactly a breakfast food.” John Paulo responded, trying and failing to hide his amusement.

“But it’s tofu.” Stell insisted, before asking, “You don’t want to eat it?” He frowned, hesitation seeping into his features unwillingly.

“Let’s eat it.” John Paulo said quickly, grabbing the tofu with one hand and Stell's hand with the other, effectively cutting off any doubts Stell had.

“Wait, wait! Let me set the table! You sit down." Stell demanded.

He thought John Paulo might argue with him but then he shrugged and sat down at the table, patiently waiting for Stell to come back. He did nothing to hide his eyes from gazing unabashedly at Stell's figure, especially when Stell was wearing a pair of khaki chino shorts that ended a little too far up his thigh and a white short-sleeved t-shirt with a skyline across his chest.

John Paulo could only guess Stell had dressed like that on purpose. While he looked nice, he was also incredibly distracting.

“Are you staring, Sejun?” Stell asked innocently, stretching his legs out to stand on his tiptoes to reach the plates despite being tall enough to reach them without going to such extents.

“Yes.” John Paulo answered unapologetically.

“How rude.” Stell complained but when he closed the cupboards and turned around with the plates in his hands, his face was glowing pink and he was smiling.

“It’s my birthday. I can do what I want.” John Paulo responded jokingly.

Stell bit his bottom lip to prevent a smile. “I thought you said you didn’t want anything for your birthday?” he challenged.

John Paulo grinned lazily in response but didn’t argue Stell's observation, choosing to change the subject instead. “You made all this yourself?” he asked, once Stell had set everything out on the table.

“Yeah but Josh helped a little. Who knew that he was actually a good baker?” Stell chuckled, remembering the way Josh had vigorously whipped the egg whites last night to make the meringue, which actually turned out pretty well, if Stell was being honest.

“You baked?” John Paulo quirked a brow.

“I mean… yeah, kind of. Josh helped but I did all the hard parts.” Stell blushed, concerned about John Paulo's love-hate for sweets. He's looking away from the thoughtful look that had Stell feeling self-conscious. John Paulo looked happy and the intensity of it had Stell avoiding eye contact.

“Tell him thanks then.” John Paulo replied finally, breaking the silence between them. “Come on, let’s eat breakfast first so we can have dessert.” he urged, pointing to the food on the table.

Stell perked up at the suggestion and sat down across from John Paulo, fussing over John Paulo to sit back and let Stell do all the work, including taking the food out for him. John Paulo chuckled in response but he didn’t fight Stell's persistence.

“This tastes really great.” John Paulo smiled, meaning the compliment wholeheartedly.

“I’m sure it’s not that good.” Stell waved off, face enveloped in a blush.

“It is!” John Paulo insisted. “Try some yourself,” he pointed to the tofu in Stell's plate, but before Stell had the chance to pick up his spoon and do what he was told, there was a piece of tofu held up to his mouth.

“Sejun,” Stell whined, more from the embarrassment than actual complaint. John Paulo smirked at him in response but his hand didn’t drop. He quirked an eyebrow questioningly and Stell opened his mouth, letting John Paulo place the food inside it.

He chewed slowly, unsure why John Paulo staring at him so intently was making him nervous. But once the taste of the tofu actually hit his tongue, all his nervousness disappeared. “Wow, this is actually good.” he beamed, amazed by the fact that his cooking had turned out well.

“Why are you surprised?” John Paulo chuckled, bringing his hand down to pick up another piece of tofu before holding it up for Stell again.

“Eat your own portion ” Stell chided, but he was smiling behind the remark. “I’m a great catch, aren’t I?” he beamed proudly, picking up his own spoon and happily placing the food on his plate in his mouth.

He hadn’t expected John Paulo to respond to his comment but he was greeted with, “You are.” said so sincerely that Stell nearly choked on his breakfast. The action only made John Paulo laugh but his eyes were shining with affection all the same.

“Sejun?” Stell complained again but he didn’t mean it. He never did when the teasing was always laced with warmth.

The rest of breakfast went by smoothly and once they were done, Stell pulled out the box with the cheesecake and set it on the table for John Paulo to cut. He picked out a candle and a lighter from one of the many bags he had brought before urging John Paulo to make a wish.

“What’d you wish for?” he asked cheekily, handing a knife to John Paulo to cut the cake.

“Can’t tell you.” John Paulo answered seriously.

“Why not?” Stell pouted, before his face lit up. “Oh! I bet it was something dirty.” he cooed. “It was, wasn’t it? You’re blushing so it must be true!” he laughed lightly, poking his finger into John Paulo's red cheek.

“I hope you realize I’m holding a knife.” John Paulo said flatly.

“You wouldn’t kill me.” Stell said confidently. “Then we can’t play out whatever you wished for.” he added mischievously, taking a step back from John Paulo as he said so, ducking his head down in laughter.

“You’re terrible.” John Paulo blushed, shaking his head, face pulled down into a half-hearted frown. It wasn’t long before his composure broke and he was grinning back at Stell, his laughter and good mood contagious.

Stell grinned in response, opening his mouth to say something but his remark was cut short by three swift knocks to the door. “Were you expecting someone?” Stell tilted his head curiously.

John Paulo shook his head. “No. Someone probably got the wrong apartment. I’ll be right back.” he promised, leaving Stell in the small dining room, heading around to the front door to check who it was. As far as John Paulo knew, he didn’t have any plans for the day besides spending it with Stell, which was fine by him.

“Yo~!” came two simultaneous greetings, when John Paulo opened his front door to reveal Felip and Cullen, his high school friends whom he hadn’t seen since the start of the school year.

“What are you doing here?” John Paulo asked, too shocked to really register their greeting.

“Is that any way to treat your best friends?” Cullen chided, sliding in past John Paulo. Felip followed, tutting his head in disapproval, leaning down to take off his shoes.

“Happy birthday man!” Felip pulled John Paulo's arm into a half hug.

“Happy birthday Paulo!!” Cullen echoed, repeating Felip's greeting.

John Paulo was still dazed – he hadn’t made plans to see his friends, not plans he could remember at any rate. He was grateful that his friends had travelled from their hometown to come see him. But that didn’t stop John Paulo from gaping at their presence slightly open-mouthed.

“Wow, not even a thanks. I told you he had forgotten us.” Cullen sighed dramatically, clutching Felip's arm for support.

John Paulo closed his mouth, snapping back to reality. Before he could respond properly, Stell's voice rang out from the dining room.

“Sejun, what’s taking so long? Let’s eat the cake! Ooh, better yet, how about you eat cake off – oh! hello?” Stell blushed, coming around the corner and seeing that John Paulo wasn’t alone. He wasn’t the only one who was red to the tips of their ears, however. John Paulo was sporting an equally embarrassed and red face which only served to make Cullen and Felip guffaw in laughter.

“Holy shit, I guess you’re acting like this because we’re interrupting!” Felip laughed, clutching the wall for support as Cullen hung off his other shoulder.

Stell didn’t think it was that funny. John Paulo didn’t think so either. His friends however were having the time of their lives laughing their asses off at John Paulo's obvious embarrassment.

“Give me one reason not to kick you out right now.” John Paulo growled, after two minutes of nonstop laughter.

“Sorry!!” Cullen apologized sheepishly through a few hiccups. He wiped a tear from his face. “Are we actually interrupting? Because we’ll leave if we are.” he said seriously.

“You’re not.” John Paulo confirmed, face set into a firm frown. He moved aside to let Cullen and Felip into the living room despite his annoyance.

“I’m lost.” Stell said quietly, bringing John Paulo's attention back to his boyfriend. John Paulo waved him over closer to them. Stell shuffled awkwardly towards where John Paulo stood with two people he vaguely recognized.

John Paulo wrapped an arm around Stell's waist, hoping to appease him a little for involuntarily throwing him into an awkward situation. “Stell, meet Cullen and Felip,” he pointed at them in turn. “Cullen, Felip, meet Stell.” he added.

Stell's face lit up. Oh, so these were John Paulo's high school friends! He remembered hearing their names and seeing their faces in some of John Paulo's photos online, which seemed like a very long time ago now, considering he didn’t have a need to pine over John Paulo's pictures when he had the real deal.

“Ah! the elusive boyfriend,” Cullen sighed.

“Sejun talks about me? No fair! He doesn’t even tell me much about his life.” Stell pouted.

“Sejun?” Felip asked, eyebrows raised high on his forehead.

“Shut up, Felip.” John Paulo groaned, punching his friend in the arm. Not hard enough to hurt but definitely had enough to serve as a warning.

“Oh, this is fantastic!” Cullen grinned, moving in to plop down on the couch. Felip followed suite, sitting down next to Cullen, while John Paulo grabbed the armchair.

“Are you visiting Sejun for his birthday?” Stell beamed, moving towards the empty space next to Cullen – he was pulled suddenly onto John Paulo's side, causing an embarrassing squeak to come out of his mouth.

Stell turned around to glare at his boyfriend who shrugged nonchalantly, before placing an arm around Stell's back coming to settle beside John Paulo. His other hand was set atop Stell's thigh, laced in his own hand.

“Yeah, but we didn’t know you had plans.” Felip apologized sheepishly, eyeing the way John Paulo held Stell protectively, as if daring him and Cullen to say something stupid.

“That’s okay, we didn’t really have any plans. Sejun’s a grump and doesn’t even want to celebrate his birthday so we were just going to go to the park.” Stell smiled.

They were sort of plans which everyone in the room recognized. But Stell wasn’t going to let friends who were visiting John Paulo all the way from his hometown excuse themselves when Stell got to see John Paulo all the time.

“I bet he still don't like celebrations. This one time in second year we tried to throw him a surprise party and Felip was supposed to stand at the door to turn the lights on when Paulo walked in. But he ended up getting a black eye because Paulo thought we were breaking into his house or something. The party was cancelled because we had to take Felip to the hospital since he ended up hitting his head against the wall when Paulo punched him.” Cullen laughed.

“What a brute.” Stell chuckled, shivering slightly when John Paulo huffed a breath against his neck.

“That was an accident!” John Paulo insisted. “Besides, that was around the time when we had that series of burglaries happening around town so what else was I supposed to think?” he frowned.

Felip and Cullen ignored him completely. Stell chuckled at the reaction, smoothing his thumb over John Paulo's hand in an attempt to placate him.

“Yeah! Then in third year, we got him this really awesome gift. It was a new pair of shoes and they were so expensive but the entire class chipped in for them and you know what he did? Threw them into the lake on our way home!” Felip added, clucking his tongue disapprovingly.

“I didn’t throw them, you asshole!” John Paulo growled. “My hands were sweaty from PE and they slipped out of my grip when you shoved me and I tried to regain my balance so I wouldn’t fall into the lake instead.” he corrected.

“Details, details!” Felip waved off, ignoring the glaring look from John Paulo.

“Oh this is so fun!” Stell trilled, wiggling happily in John Paulo's space. “Tell me more. I want to know all of Sejun's secrets!” he grinned, eyes sparkling happily.

“Well let me tell you something Stell, you’ve definitely come to the right people.” Cullen egged on.

John Paulo groaned as Stell laughed happily, urging Cullen and Felip to continue their stories, which they didn’t need much prompting to do, anyway. John Paulo gave a resigned sigh before burying his face against Stell's back, closing his eyes as he waited for the onslaught of embarrassment to set in.

Stell hummed happily at the contact, eyes focused on John Paulo's friends. They didn’t really have concrete plans for the day considering John Paulo didn’t want to actually do much besides spend the day with him. But Stell was sort of glad they didn’t plan the entirety of the day out.

This was nicer than going to park; when Stell going to get the chance to spend time with people that would let him know John Paulo better?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you searched up the dishes? I love japanese food!!!
> 
> John Paulo's sweet gestures!!! 😭😭
> 
> There was this time I'm struggling to have more names for this fic, let's just say Cullen and Felip were from John Paulo's hometown huh? I'll do my best for them to be different from Stell's buddies Josh and Ken!


	21. Coffee Prince Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will a John Paulo spend his first birthday with Stell ^_^

It was oddly easy talking to Cullen and Felip, Stell decided. There were huge teases but they were funny and Stell didn’t even mind when they picked up on playfully teasing him too. He joined in on the banter and once John Paulo had loosened up from all his embarrassment, he participated as well.

It was nice how effortlessly Cullen and Felip led conversation. They didn’t even bat an eye at the mild show of affection between Stell and John Paulo, which Stell thought might have been awkward considering Stell had just met them. But they were so relaxed about it that Stell felt no reason to fear he and John Paulo were being overbearing.

The best part about having them there was the fact that they were more than happy to share stories about John Paulo, which John Paulo wasn’t so keen on telling Stell himself. Not that he was trying to hide anything. He just had a lot of embarrassing stories and he preferred not to share them. His friends however, held no qualms about throwing John Paulo under the bus.

Stell learned that they were both going to school and rooming together in Sejun's first years in college. It wasn’t an easy bus ride but the thought that John Paulo had such good friends that they would travel this far to visit him on his birthday made Stell's heart swell with pride. It only confirmed what he already knew: John Paulo was one amazing guy. And Stell was lucky that John Paulo had somehow chosen to like him back.

Halfway through the endless story telling, Stell remembered that they still hadn’t eaten cake yet and he got up to bring some slices for everyone. John Paulo insisted that since it was his apartment, he should be the one hosting. But Stell countered that since it was John Paulo's birthday, Stell should be doing the work.

They bantered for a few minutes until Felip got up to get the dessert himself.

“This is pretty good.” Felip complimented, tasting the cheesecake.

“Yeah, did you make it?” Cullen asked, already three-quarters done with his slice.

Stell beamed at the response. “Mostly, but I had Josh make the meringue because I can’t separate egg whites from egg yolks for shit,” he chuckled nervously, before realizing that he was throwing names out there like Cullen and Felip actually knew who he was talking about. “He’s my roommate.” he explained.

“Charismatic, unruly black hair and a grin that could kill?” Felip quirked a brow.

“Er, yeah?” Stell asked, confused. Had they met Josh before?

“Ooh, the one John Paulo was jealous of, nice!” Cullen whistled. “What are the odds that he’d be helping your boyfriend make you a birthday cake?”

“What? Sejun was jealous?” Stell asked, tilting his head back to get a better look at John Paulo's face. He was pleased to see that it was glowing pink. The sight made Stell grin, which only served to make John Paulo's frown deepen.

“I wasn’t jealous,” he denied.

“You were!” Felip and Cullen replied in unison.

It would have been odd how in sync they were had Stell not known that the two had practically been friends since they were babies.

“Oh?” Stell asked innocently. “Why have I never heard of this before?”

“Because it didn’t happen.” John Paulo argued stubbornly.

“Sejun, it’s okay to be jealous. I’m kind of great after all.” he beamed, shuffling sideways to place a quick peck to John Paulo's cheek.

“Shut up, Shitvester. If I remember correctly, you were the one who was stalking my pictures before we even started dating.” he reminded.

“Don’t be mean to me in front of your friends,” Stell pouted. “He’s just putting on a show for you.” Stell said, turning his head back to their guests. “You know, he’s actually very sweet when we’re alone. He’ll even– mmph.” John Paulo clamped his palm over Stell's mouth to prevent him from saying anything else that would incriminate him further.

“Awww! No fun, you ruined it.” Cullen pouted, to which Stell nodded enthusiastically.

“You’re fucking terrible, all of you!” John Paulo shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me on my birthday.” he added as an afterthought.

He wasn’t really all that chuffed about the teasing, it was friendly and harmless after all. But the way Stell's face fell and he scrambled to wrap his arms around John Paulo in apology was worth it.

“Felip, I want you to bake me a cake for my birthday.” Cullen announced abruptly, ignoring John Paulo and Stell's show of affection like the other two weren’t even there.

“What the hell, Cullen? My birthday is before yours. I want you to bake me a cake.”

Stell looked away from John Paulo to the pair with amusement, before turning his attention back to John Paulo.

“Did you like the cake?” he asked hesitantly. “I know you’re not really a fan of sweets but I thought since a traditional cheesecake that isn’t sweet, you wouldn’t mind.”

“Stell,” John Paulo said seriously. “I loved it. Thank you.” he smiled, leaning in to place a kiss to Stell's lips.

The kiss tasted sweet, and not all of it had to do with the cake that was still lingering on Stell's lips. John Paulo almost forgot there were other people in the room until he heard throats clearing loudly.

“Do you want us to leave?” Felip raised his eyebrows.

John Paulo flushed but shook his head. Of course he didn’t want his friends to leave. They had travelled far to see him, so how could he want that? But he also wanted to be able to kiss Stell into oblivion without being interrupted every five seconds for fuck’s sake.

Stell was surprisingly laidback about their day together having been interrupted. “How long are you guys here for?” Stell asked.

“Until tomorrow afternoon. We’ve got to catch the bus back at 4 pm,” Cullen answered. “We’re sleeping here, by the way.” he added. John Paulo rolled his eyes at his friend’s candour. Not that he thought they’d be sleeping anywhere else.

“Ooh! we should go out, celebrate or something.” Stell grinned, turning his face to John Paulo for permission. “It doesn’t have to be for your birthday,” Stell said hurriedly. “We could just be celebrating your friends coming here.”

“Okay,” John Paulo nodded. “What do you want to do?”

Stell looked towards Felip and Cullen who shrugged, indicating that they were fine with whatever. Stell tilted his head thoughtfully before an idea came to mind. “Let’s dance!” he suggested, grinning brightly.

“You wanna dance?” John Paulo asked, lips curved up in amusement.

“Yes!” Stell nodded. “I want to set a choreography for you.” he insisted. “The school's gym is free today. I can get JP to let us in. You guys are dancers in school, right?” Stell asked, turning towards Cullen and Felip. They nodded their heads in approval.  
"We don't just dance, we perform." Cullen added.

“Great! What do you say, Sejun?” Stell asked hopefully.

“I haven’t sing nor dance in a long time…” he trailed off. “But I guess I want to try your genre.” he smiled, making Stell grin, eyes crinkled in delight.

“I’m going to call JP, you guys get ready!” he ordered, jumping off of John Paulo's side and moving towards the kitchen for some privacy.

In the end, one call to JP had earned the rest of Stell's friends an invite to the gym as well. Stell was pleased with the turn out all the same. It seemed like John Paulo was in bright spirits to be hanging out like this again too, which only served to widen the smile on Stell's face.

Felip, Cullen and Ken were busy setting up the sound system while Justin and JP were bringing out lighting and cameras for the impromptu show. The rest of the group lingered around the gym, doing rigid warm ups and stretching in preparation and taking turns to set everything up.

“I call Sejun on my group!” Stell yelled, gathering everyone’s attention. They all moved in towards the centre of the university's dance gym.

“Who made you leader?” Josh asked.

“Well, it was my idea to even have this get together,” Stell rolled his eyes. “Who invited you?” he shot back.

“I say John Paulo gets to be the other team lead since it’s his birthday.” Josh added.

“But I already called him on my group,” Stell glared, before turning around to face his boyfriend. “Okay, Sejun, you can be captain. But you have to pick me first.” he nodded, giving his position up.

“And if I don’t?” he asked cheekily.

“Then no sex for a week.” Stell responded easily, making the room erupt in laughter.

“Hmm, I have a hand.” John Paulo responded, amidst the embarrassment.

“Fine, then we’re breaking up.” Stell threatened futilely, face pulled down into a practiced frown.

“Okay,” John Paulo answered, much to Stell's chagrin.

His friends and John Paulo's friends seemed to be having the time of their lives though, because while Stell's face fell, their grins only widened. There was a part of Stell that knew John Paulo was joking – after all, Stell had been the one to broach that joke in the first place. But it still made him feel antsy to see how easily John Paulo had agreed.

“Hey, you know I was joking, right?” John Paulo asked, realizing that the pout on Stell's face wasn’t entirely for show. He moved towards him and pulled his face up, holding Stell's chin between his thumb and forefinger. Stell nodded, feeling the lump in his throat start to melt away. “I’m sorry, baby.” John Paulo apologized quietly, pressing his lips against Stell's in a soft kiss.

“You know what, please stay on the same team.” Josh cut in. “I don’t think I can deal with you making faces at one another across our dance showdown.” he gagged.

Stell stuck his tongue out at Josh in reply, but he was much happier than he had been a few moments ago.

The teams ended up being split pretty evenly. Stell, John Paulo, Cullen, Felip were on one group, then Josh, JP, Justin and Ken on the other. Stell always loved to dance and to hang out with his friends was something he enjoyed more than anything else. But something about being able to choreograph to John Paulo made the dance so much better.

It made him wonder what it would have been like if he and John Paulo had gotten to cover groups in high school. Maybe it was the fact that they were slowly spending more and more time with one another. Or maybe he was just biased but Stell couldn’t help but think that syncing with John Paulo was so much easier than everyone else.

John Paulo was better than he let on as well. Stell had been surprised by the revelation but the shock didn’t last long before pure excitement seeped in. He tried to be fair and give equal routines to the others as much as he focus to John Paulo when it was his turn to dance, but he would have been lying if he said that ended up being true.

Everyone noticed, everyone commented but no one was really upset enough to change anything about the way Stell dance with John Paulo an unfair number of times. Especially when Felip and Cullen tried their best to change agreed blockings when they switched positions with Stell.

Stell was too thrilled to be able to casually perform with John Paulo to let anything like that bother him anyway. He was more than lucky to have found out that John Paulo liked dancing like he does.

It felt unfair that Stell was this happy when it was John Paulo's birthday, considering the impromptu dance showdown felt more like a present for him rather than his boyfriend. But John Paulo seemed to be enjoying himself. He was grinning and patting his groupmates on their backs, looking completely at ease.

And when John Paulo got too hot and lifted his shirt to wipe the excess sweat from his face, Stell was definitely happy that he had suggested they dance in the first place.

“Why do you look so surprised?” John Paulo asked embarrassedly, shoving Stell away lightly when he whistled at John Paulo's exposed chest.

“I’m not surprised. I’m just appreciating how hot you are.” Stell corrected loudly, earning him a towel to the face. He was in too good of a mood to let that bring him down – or stop him from calling out further compliments to John Paulo's physique.

By the time everyone was heaving and far too sweaty to be considered acceptable, they had danced four full sets of songs, both groups winning two each.

“One more!” JP demanded. “We can’t let this random dance game end like this!” he insisted.

“Man, I’m too tired to continue.” Ken panted, leaning a hand against Justin's shoulder. “Not all of us dance practice continuously like you do.” he reminded.

JP pouted, searching the room for anyone who would agree with his suggestion. But he was met with headshakes. “You’re no fun!” he sulked.

“You travel for dance, right?” Cullen asked, ducking on the side to be on JP's space.

JP nodded his head in approval. “Next time you’re in our hometown, give Felip and I a call. We’ll take you out sightseeing,” he suggested, lifting JP's mood significantly.

“Huh, looks like friendly JP is catching on.” Justin whispered in Stell's ear, giggling a little at the sight of JP's enthusiastic face, as he practically tore across the gym to retrieve his phone so that he could exchange numbers with Cullen.

“Crisis averted though.” Stell chuckled.

“Are you guys busy this evening?” John Paulo asked suddenly, ripping Stell's attention away from Justin and towards his very sweaty, very attractive boyfriend.

“I’m free.” Josh confirmed. “JP is too,” he added, causing JP to roll his eyes at being spoken for.

“Ken and I are free as well.” Justin smiled.

“Are we making plans? Oh, don’t leave us out!” Felip jumped back into the circle. Cullen nodded his head in confirmation as well.

John Paulo cleared his throat awkwardly. “Do you guys want to get dinner or something? Nothing fancy, but I thought since we’re already out…” he trailed off.

“You don’t need a reason to want to celebrate your birthday.” Ken chuckled, patting John Paulo's shoulder firmly. “How about we shower off, go home and change, then meet up wherever you want to have dinner,” he suggested.

That plan seemed to be the most logical, so they nodded their agreements and headed off to change and meet again.

\-------

“I’m not complaining,” Stell started off carefully. “But I thought you didn’t want to celebrate your birthday. Isn’t that why you didn’t want to go to that charity banquet thing Tita Grace wanted you to tonight?” he asked, sifting through his closet for a change of clothes.

John Paulo had showered and changed so fast that by the time he came to pick Stell back up, Stell had only managed to just finish showering. He blamed it on the fact that he shared an apartment with Josh and they only had one bathroom while John Paulo had an apartment all to himself. But the excuse wasn’t even valid considering he had been allowed to shower first.

John Paulo lifted his head slightly from Stell's bed, which he was lying half across. His legs dangled off the edge, while his back was flat against the mattress, making him look very comfortable. Stell almost wished he could crawl in next to him and just lie there. But he knew that if he did that, he would have a much harder time walking away.

“I guess,” he shrugged. “It was mostly because I didn’t think it was right to accept an award for my dad on my birthday.” he shrugged half-heartedly, leaning his head back down across the navy sheets. He tossed one of Stell's many random plushies in the air before catching it in his hands absentmindedly.

“You don’t think it’s kind of mean?” Stell frowned, pulling off his sweatpants and changing into a pair of dark blue jeans.

“What is?”

“That you told Tita Grace ‘no’ but then you’re making plans of your own?”

Stell wasn’t sure why he was even asking him that, today of all days. He just wanted to know what John Paulo was thinking considering he hadn’t really explained himself Thursday when they first discussed not going to the banquet.

“Do you think it is?” John Paulo questioned, dropping the plushies on the side and leaning up on one elbow to stare at Stell pointedly.

“No, I guess,” Stell shrugged indifferently. “I just wanted to know why you were so against that. I get to spend the day with you either way. So I honestly don’t care what you want to do.” he emphasized.

“It’s weird,” John Paulo answered after a few moments of silence. Stell pulled his black button down over his torso before cocking his head in John Paulo's direction.

“What’s weird?” Stell pressed, sweeping his hair aside further. He sat on his bed next to John Paulo who was also sitting up now.

“I feel like I ran away, you know? And it’s totally my decision if I want to restart my life somewhere. I get that but it’s weird because I’ve basically grown up with all these people around me and I just… left. First of all, I don’t think I should be accepting the award for my dad and secondly, how do I explain to people that their empathy was becoming overbearing and pissing me off?”

Well, that was profoundly honest and not at all what Stell had been expecting. “You didn’t run away.” he answered softly.

John Paulo scoffed in response. “Then why do I feel like I have to explain myself?”

“You don’t,” Stell stated bluntly. “You just have a big guilty conscience for no reason.” he smiled. “I feel like you should tell your mom this though, so that she doesn’t think you’re blowing her off.”

“I already called her this morning and then again when I went home to change,” John Paulo reassured. “Sorry if I was snappy… it’s just that she asked me the same thing as you did.” he sighed, pulling an arm around Stell's shoulder in apology.

Stell blinked owlishly, before a small smile lifted his features. “You’re cute when you’re grumpy, you know that?” he asked, nuzzling his face into the crook of John Paulo's neck. “And you smell good too.” he added, stifling his laugh against John Paulo's shoulder when he felt his face heat up.

“What does that have to do with anything?” John Paulo asked incredulously.

“Am I not allowed to compliment my boyfriend?” he asked with a half-smirk.

“Stell,” John Paulo warned, nudging him slightly.

“Hmm, what? I wasn’t lying, you know,” he repeated seriously, which made John Paulo's face fall into a deeper frown. “See, cute!” he chuckled, placing a kiss on John Paulo's lips to rid him of his sulky expression.

“You’re so annoying!” John Paulo said pulling away, but he pulled Stell in for another kiss as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

“You wanna ditch dinner?” Stell asked cheekily, letting his fingers slip beneath John Paulo's light blue button down, unhitching a portion of it that was tucked into his black jeans.

“And get yelled at by Justin? No thanks.” he chuckled.

Stell couldn’t help but agree that out of everyone, Justin was the most likely to hold it over their heads if they cancelled dinner plans to stay home with one another. Even though out every couple Stell knew, Justin and Ken were disgustingly cute enough to do the very same. Stell didn’t have time to think of a protest though because Josh knocked on the door twice before coming in.

“How are you still not ready?” he asked half-amusedly, shaking his head at the way Stell was hanging off of John Paulo's shoulders.

“I’m ready!” Stell insisted.

“Your hair?” Josh reminded, reminding Stell that it was still sort of damp from his shower and not yet styled.

“Ah, that’s your fault! The hairdryer is in the bathroom.”

“I’ve been out for the past ten minutes,” Josh rolled his eyes.

John Paulo chuckled at the banter, which just made Stell's frown deepen. “Sejun, don’t encourage him!” he scolded.

“Yeah, yeah, go do your hair,” he nudged Stell off him before standing up himself.

Stell grumbled half-heartedly before trudging off to the bathroom to fix his damp hair. His hair was getting a little long, which John Paulo had mentioned to Stell a few days ago. But the way he said it was more in admiration than a jab and so Stell decided that he could forego a haircut for a few more days at least.

He checked his reflection in the mirror once his hair was dry, tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly in concentration. Before he could convince himself otherwise, Stell picked up a hair tie from the vanity and scrunched his hair back into a small ponytail. From the front, with his bangs the same length as they usually were, there wasn’t much of a difference but if he turned to the side, he thought he looked pretty cute.

His opinion was only validated when he walked out to greet John Paulo and Josh who were waiting for him at the front door and John Paulo did a double take upon seeing Stell bend down to put on his shoes.

“You changed your hair?” he asked carefully.

“Don’t like it?” Stell asked teasingly, despite knowing that if the rising blush was anything to go by then John Paulo certainly did like his new look.

“No, you look good.” he answered stiffly. His monotone answers were most likely due to Josh's presence but Stell had been friends with Josh long enough to forego any qualms about making the other man feel uncomfortable. Not that he thought he could anymore, with the amount of things he and Josh had gone through.

“This makes it easier to pull on during sex, doesn’t it?” he asked cheekily, slipping on his black loafers before walking out the door.

He could hear Josh's annoyed groans behind him. Stell chuckled at the response, until he felt a pair of hands jerk him down into a headlock.

“Ow, Sejun!” Stell pouted.

“There are other times I like pulling your hair too.” he muttered in Stell's ear, half-embarrassedly, half-seriously, which made Stell's face light up. The words along with the fact that Stell was in John Paulo's grip turned him on uncomfortably so. If Josh wasn’t there, Stell would have jumped his boyfriend for sure.

Apparently, he wasn’t very discreet at hiding his thoughts because Josh tutted his head in disapproval. “That’s it, you’re banned from coming back here tonight.” he stated, coming out and locking the door behind him.

“But Sejun’s friends are staying at his place.” Stell complained.

“Then go torture them with your loud sex.” Josh rolled his eyes. “You know it’s bad when I know exactly how close you are to coming depending on the pitch and volume of your voice.” he shuddered.

“That’s so weird! what the fuck, Josh ewww?” Stell gaped, shoving Josh slightly as they moved to walk down the stairs.

“Just goes to show how fucking loud you are. Or maybe it’s because we’ve been rooming together for three years now.” he chuckled, making Stell's mouth fall open even further.

“Oh yeah?” John Paulo asked, cutting in between their banter. “Just how long did it take you to figure all this out?” he asked Josh, expression somewhere between contemplation and amusement.

“Sejun??!” Stell scolded. The threat went ignored.

“Oh you know, not very long, considering Stell brought someone home every other week.” Josh chuckled, falling into step next to John Paulo.

The sidewalk wasn’t large enough for three people so Stell was forced behind. He pouted at being left out, but even more so at Josh implying to John Paulo that he used to sleep around, which wasn’t true.

Not that it mattered even if he was, but Josh was exaggerating just to get a rise out of him. And it was working, if his increasingly red face, that wasn’t entirely from embarrassment, was anything to go by.

“I see that I’m dealing with an expert here.” John Paulo mused, making Josh chuckle and Stell scowl.

“You could definitely say that.” Josh added, much to Stell's frustrations. They looked like they were joking but Stell couldn’t be sure.

Before John Paulo, Stell hadn’t even been in a relationship for long months. So yeah, maybe he had a few dates every once in a while. But nothing serious since his last boyfriend had turned out to be a cheating asshole though, which was why he decided to forego the idea of dating for a while. Until John Paulo showed up in his life, anyway.

So what if Stell was a first year, fresh out of high school with too much freedom? Wasn’t that what university was for, anyway? He didn’t know why he felt the need to defend himself to himself, but he felt like the only way he could convince John Paulo that he didn’t do anything wrong was if he believed himself first.

Not that John Paulo had any right to pry into Stell's life when he wasn’t even there… but it didn’t seem like he was all too annoyed or even upset with Josh's statement. When he turned around to look at Stell who was trudging a few paces behind them, there was only amusement written on his face.

“You know that I don’t care what you did before we met, right?” he asked lightly, stopping his movement until he could fall into step with Stell instead.

“Hmph,” Stell huffed in annoyance.

“You’re cute when you sulk.” John Paulo said suddenly, repeating Stell's own words from earlier. He wrapped his hand in Stell's before tugging lightly to bring Stell's lips to his own.

“I hate both of you.” Josh said, breaking Stell out of his daze.

“Why? Jealous that my boyfriend is better than you ever could be?” Stell challenged.

“Did you two actually date?” John Paulo asked, face pulled down into a frown, memories of Cullen and Felip's teasing from earlier taking over his thoughts.

“Nah,” Josh answered easily. “Everyone just thought we did so sometimes we’d play along, especially at parties so people we didn’t like would stay away from us. It worked out pretty well. There were other perks too, like half-price movies for couples at that one theatre here.” Josh smirked.

“Don’t tell him that,” Stell chided. “It makes us sound like terrible people.”

“I already know what a terrible person you are, Shitvester,” John Paulo huffed a laugh. “And I still like you just fine the way you are.” he added, placating Stell's putout expression.

“I repeat, I hate both of you.” Josh rolled his eyes.

“You have your girlfriend! Go be cute with her!” Stell pointed out.

“She’s not here though,” Josh argued stubbornly.

Stell chuckled but didn’t fight it. He tugged at John Paulo's hand, pulling the other man closer to him as they made their way to the train station.

He was glad that their day of spending time with one another had turned into a day out with all their friends. John Paulo deserved more than just a random dance practice and dinner with his friends for his birthday. But for someone who was so adamantly against celebrating the day to begin with, Stell figured he could call it a success.

Despite the fact that John Paulo was still sort of closed off, even around Stell, he was starting to open up more and Stell found himself feeling more comfortable around the other man every day as well.

He was warm, and kind, and caring, but at the same time he didn’t hold back from telling Stell off when Stell was being stubbornly childish.

And when he turned his head to steal glances at his boyfriend throughout dinner that evening, he was happy to see his beautiful, smiling face – cheeks caved in from laughing so hard, and the sight was enough to put a permanent smile on Stell's face too. They had only been dating for months, but Stell found himself falling harder for John Paulo every second. It scared him a little, but it also excited him more than he could have imagined.

Especially when he caught John Paulo stealing glances at him too. It made him wonder if John Paulo was falling for him in the same way.

Dinner had turned into dinner and karaoke, which John Paulo was surprisingly not against. He was a discreetly very good singer, and singing in public was sort of humiliating for him nowadays. But he still found himself tugged up to the centre of the room by Stell.

He was weak to deny his boyfriend anything he wanted. Especially when his face was flushed from the alcohol as much as it was from excitement, and his eye were blown full and wide, sparkling even in the dim purple lighting of the karaoke bar. He had been smiling a large grin that stretched across his cheeks and made his flushed cheekbones so temptingly kissable.

He had looked so happy and sincere so with that look, along with the calls of ‘Yeah, Sejun, we want to hear you sing!’ from Felip, that John Paulo had no choice but to comply. Even with his horribly it's-been-a-while singing voice, John Paulo found himself having fun.

The best surprise of the night however was when Cullen put on a fast paced rap song and handed the mic to John Paulo, who took it happily.

Stell hadn’t been expecting much, but when John Paulo started to rap along in what sounded like very fast english that was slightly slurred from the alcohol John Paulo had drank, only to have Cullen and Josh join in with him near the end, Stell couldn’t tear his eyes away from his boyfriend.

“How’d you know how to do that?!” he asked, more than slightly impressed with the fast, on-tune singing.

He could make out only half of the words since he had been more focused on staring at John Paulo instead of reading the lyrics on the screen. But it didn’t even matter because John Paulo seemed to know what he was doing and Stell would have been lying if he said he didn’t think it was more than just a little hot.

Who knew that John Paulo could rap of all things? It was unexpected, and yet at the same time, it was entirely fitting.

“I’m a man of many talents, Stell.” John Paulo chuckled, leaning back against the couch, flopping his head into Stell's chest.

John Paulo wasn’t the only with a talent for music, it seemed. Surprisingly, or maybe unsurprisingly, Stell was easily the best singer out of all of them. With his clean, soothing voice, John Paulo couldn’t help but stare in awe at the other man when he sang a ballad with Ken.

“Wow, Stell, you haven’t lost your touch to music, I see,” Justin giggled beside John Paulo as Justin squealed and latched himself onto his boyfriend later on.

JP grabbed the mics from Ken and Stell at that point, claiming they weren't allowed to sing anymore because they were upstaging them all.

Even Cullen and Felip seemed like they were having fun, despite not having met any of John Paulo's new friends until today. They were always good at getting to know people, something that John Paulo himself wasn’t so great at, which was why he was still slightly shocked that he had managed to make a life for himself in this city so easily.

The only person who took more than a little coaxing to sing was Justin, who was buried in his phone, which he brought with him everywhere. He claimed that arts and design was too time consuming of a major, but everyone just knew how dedicated he was to his program, and how much he was so shy to sing.

Still, they managed to get him to sing one song, albeit hurriedly, before he handed the mic off to Ken and returned to his phone.

They ended the night with an off-chorus round of ‘happy birthday’ to John Paulo, which he didn’t think he could enjoy as much as he had.

By the time John Paulo and Stell got back to his apartment, it was nearing 1 am and Stell was already half-asleep on John Paulo's shoulder as the other man helped him in.

“Where’d Cullen and Felip go?” Stell mumbled sleepily, only coming to the realization that John Paulo's friends weren’t with them anymore.

John Paulo chuckled at his dazedness. “They left when we parted outside the karaoke bar when you wouldn’t stop kissing me.” he reminded.

It was more than just the kissing that had Cullen and Felip saying their goodbyes, and claiming that they were better off at a hotel for the night. John Paulo had felt bad that he had inadvertently kicked his friends out of his apartment. But with Stell's hands slipping noticeably under John Paulo's shirt and his mouth refusing to budge from John Paulo's neck, he hadn’t really been thinking straight.

It didn’t seem like his friends minded at any rate, if the ‘Have a fun night ;)’ chat he got from Felip was anything to go by.

Stell's vigour had worn off on the train ride home though, at which point he had taken to resting his forehead against John Paulo's shoulder and using it as a pillow.

“Oh,” Stell frowned. “Was it because of me? I’m sorry.” he apologized.

“Don’t be,” John Paulo responded immediately. “I like waking up to you way more.”

Stell blushed at the honesty but his frown was instantly replaced with a hesitant smile. “You know, I had full intentions of blowing you when we got home but I’m so tired. I feel like I’m going to pass out any moment now.” As if to prove his point, Stell's body was overcome with a yawn.

John Paulo chuckled at the comment, face melting into a soft smile. “Let’s go to bed.” he insisted, pulling Stell along into the bedroom where he threw him a pair of Stell's own pajama pants and t-shirt that had somehow found its way into John Paulo's clothes.

He left Stell to change while he tidied up the kitchen since it was still a mess from before Cullen and Felip arrived. “Here, drink some water,” John Paulo offered a glass when he came back into the room.

“Thanks Sejun,” Stell smiled, accepting the drink. “Where are you going again?” he asked, when John Paulo lifted the glass off the nightstand where Stell had placed it and walked back towards the door.

“Just going to drop this off in the sink. I’ll be right back.” he promised.

Stell hummed, lying down against the pillow and tucking himself into the blankets. When John Paulo got back into the room, Stell was already fast asleep, one hand tucked under his head while the other was splayed in the space between him and where John Paulo would have been were he already in bed.

He looked so peaceful lying on his side, legs curled up slightly towards his stomach that John Paulo couldn’t help himself from walking over and kissing his cheek lightly. He brushed some of his bangs away from his face before undoing the hair tie that Stell had fallen asleep with, watching the way his soft, silky hair splayed across his pillow.

Stell was painfully beautiful, and when he was fast asleep without any of his pretences or defenses holding him up, he looked so innocent, that John Paulo wanted nothing more than to be by his side. Stell didn’t need protecting – he was strong enough to take care of himself, but that didn’t mean that John Paulo didn’t want to be there anyway.

He gulped, realizing that the thought had just passed through his mind but before he had the chance to scrutinize what that meant, his phone buzzed. He felt Stell stir at the sound, but thankfully he didn’t wake up. John Paulo quickly turned his phone on silent before checking his messages, wondering who could be texting him so late at night.

Mama:  
Are you still up?

Paulo:  
Yes.

Mama:  
Is Stell there?

Paulo:  
He is, but he’s sleeping.

Mama:  
Come open the door for me then. I don’t want to knock and wake him up.

John Paulo frowned, but didn’t question it. He moved towards the living room, opening the front door to reveal his mom who seemed like she had come straight from the banquet to his apartment given the fact that she was still dressed in a deep blue evening gown, long diamond earrings brushing against her neck when she smiled.

“Late night?” she asked, gesturing to John Paulo who was still wearing the clothes he had worn out.

“I could ask you the same,” he chuckled. “I got home about ten minutes ago.” he elaborated.

“Hmm, sounds like you had fun.” she smiled.

“I did.” he confirmed, feeling slightly guilty for ditching the banquet. It didn’t seem like his mom was annoyed with him though because her smile widened upon hearing that he had enjoyed his night.

“I’m glad.” she insisted. “The banquet was boring at any rate so you were much better off with your friends.” she chuckled. “Speaking of, did Cullen and Felip come by?”

“You knew about that?”

“How else do you think they knew where you lived? I couldn’t ruin the surprise, Paulo.” she scolded teasingly.

“They came to dinner as well. They seemed to have fun.” he recalled. “Thanks by the way, for getting them to come here.” he said knowingly.

“Anyway, I'll be leaving in a few hours. I know it’s not your birthday anymore but I wanted to see you and tell you in person, so happy birthday my dear son.” she smiled, leaning in to wrap John Paulo in a hug.

“Thanks, Ma!” he smiled, returning the hug wholeheartedly. “Do you want me to make something to drink while you’re here?” he asked pulling back.

“No, that’s okay. You should sleep and I should get back to my hotel and pack up. Oh but there is something else I came here for,” she added, pulling up a bag off the ground and handing it to John Paulo.

“What’s this? You know I didn’t want a birthday present.” he reminded with a hard stare.

“It’s not a birthday present, geez!! Just look at it,” she rolled her eyes, waving the plain, brown paper bag in front of him.

John Paulo took it gingerly, peaking inside. What he found made his heart stop a little. It was a plaque with his dad’s name on it – the one he was asked to receive that night.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because I can’t think of a better person to look after it. You and your dad were close and you’re so much like him. This plaque was to award his contribution and I know that he wouldn’t want anyone but you to have it.” she insisted.

John Paulo swallowed the lump in his throat, mouth suddenly dry and incapable of handling anymore talking. He wanted to argue that it should go in theirーhis dad’s home, back in their hometown. But his mom was stubborn and to be honest, John Paulo liked having this reminder of him around. So he nodded and accepted the plaque, putting it back in the bag it had come in.

“Thank you, Ma.” he said quietly, sleep finally washing over him.

“You’re welcome.” his mom smiled gently, pressing a kiss to his cheek before turning around. “Come visit home in your school break, and bring Stell with you if you’d like.” she offered.

John Paulo blushed but nodded agreeing to see what he could do. He locked the door when he ushered his mom in the car, picked up the bag and padded back into his bedroom where Stell was still fast asleep. He placed the wooden plaque on his dresser, next to the photo of him and Stell under the university festival ornaments from their first date that Stell insisted he keep in his room. Next to it is the sketch of Stell that Justin had told him to ask Stell for because Stell was too embarrassed to offer it to John Paulo without any prompting.

It looked nice, next to the frame and John Paulo was once again reminded of how important Stell really was to him.

The thought should have scared him a little, but all it did was bring a happy smile to his face as he tucked himself into the bed and shifted to take Stell's hand in his own.

This city was nice. Stell was nice.

Out of all the places he could have chosen to restart his life, he was glad that it was here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I couldn't describe their dance well haha! You all know too well how they dance in real life. I'll try to get back to his some other time. (*/□＼*)
> 
> I miss meeting up with friends! I hope we could meet up too ne? A'Tin writers and readers fangathering ^_^ That'll be nice ♥︎


	22. Coffee Prince Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got NC-17 and R-18 scenes and banters!!
> 
> (bcos birthday celebration is not yet over~ ^_^v)

On Sunday, Stell woke up with a godawful headache. It made him want to clutch his head and squeeze his eyes shut in an attempt to lessen the pain. But upon noticing that he was tucked into John Paulo's chest, one of his boyfriend’s arms wrapped securely around his hip while the other was spread loosely across the top of his pillow, Stell couldn’t help but let out a content hum.

Did having a perfect boyfriend count as a hangover remedy? Because with the way his mood instantly lifted, Stell was completely inclined to believe that it did.

One look at the clock on the nightstand told Stell that it was 10 am, which wasn’t exactly early but considering they had come home well after midnight, he decided he would join John Paulo sleep. What he really wanted to do was wake John Paulo up, because lying awake in bed with Sejun wasn’t any fun if his boyfriend wasn’t even paying him any attention, but Stell figured he could deal with his boredom just this once.

So he took to closing his eyes and nuzzling his face further into John Paulo's bare chest, which he was finding increasingly difficult to keep his hands and mouth away from.

In the end, Stell didn’t do a very good job of letting John Paulo stay asleep when he couldn’t help but wiggle out of his hold and place soft kisses across John Paulo's torso until he reached his tented boxers, that Stell was more than happy to take care of.

“Fucking go back to sleep,” John Paulo muttered sleepily, but he carded his hands through Stell's hair affectionately, as Stell placed himself between John Paulo's legs.

“Do you really want me to do that?” Stell questioned innocently, tracing his hands over the bulge – that earned him a grunt and a twitch from his boyfriend, which made Stell grin.

“I hate you.” was John Paulo's only response.

“No you don’t.” Stell sing-songed.

“Hnngh,” John Paulo responded noncommittally.

Stell frowned at the lack of enthusiasm. He traced his hands over John Paulo's boxers again quickly before replacing the touch with his mouth. He huffed hot air over the tent, noticing the increased swell of John Paulo's cock with pleasure.

He pressed a few quick kisses right below John Paulo's navel before laving his tongue over the black material where the bulge was ever growing. It didn’t take very long until Stell was moaning against John Paulo's still clothed dick, mixing his saliva with John Paulo's precum until a noticeably wet patch appeared, as John Paulo bucked up into his mouth shamelessly.

It was then that Stell pulled away and tucked himself back into John Paulo's chest, curling up into a comfortable ball against his boyfriend.

John Paulo cracked open an eye, looking entirely unamused with Stell's antics. “What are you doing?”

“Going back to sleep like you wanted me to.” Stell answered innocently.

“Are you serious right now?” John Paulo asked, voice strained.

Stell smiled at him, eyes closed to ward off the glare that John Paulo was more than likely throwing in his direction. “I’m a good person, Sejun. I do what I’m told.” he said seriously.

“Stell,” he said slowly.

“What? Did you change your mind? Do you not want me to go back to sleep?” he pressed, opening his eyes to notice the way John Paulo's eyebrows were crinkled in frustration. “Ask me nicely.” he said knowingly, trying his best to remain passive.

John Paulo grunted in annoyance but Stell didn’t budge. He looked like he was having an internal battle, and the sight made Stell giggle, which he quickly stifled at the scowl that made its way onto John Paulo's face.

“Please suck my dick,” he said eventually, making Stell slant his head in shock. He had been expecting John Paulo to put up a fight but he was more than happy to oblige.

He grinned wickedly, placing a quick kiss to John Paulo's lips before taking his place between his boyfriend’s legs again. He didn’t tease by mouthing over his boxers like he had done only a few minutes before. If only because John Paulo was fully erect now and Stell didn’t want to waste any time in getting John Paulo off.

Once Stell had pulled the offending article down John Paulo's legs, he wrapped his hand around John Paulo's erect cock, stroking it in his palm a few times teasingly, before lowering his mouth to it. Stell sucked at the tip experimentally, licking away a bead of precum, eyes glued to John Paulo's member, before slowly taking more of him in.

His tongue darted around the head as he caved his cheeks in to suck rough suction down John Paulo's length. John Paulo hummed in pleasure above him, hands finding a firm grip in Stell's hair. It turned Stell on more than it should have to feel John Paulo's large hands tugging at his scalp. It felt rough and so good and he increased his pace to match the feeling of John Paulo's hands in his hair, pulling him forward with every thrust.

“Fuck, Stell, just like that,” John Paulo urged, as Stell sucked with vigour.

He hummed around John Paulo's length absentmindedly, the sound of his given name boosting his drive. The feeling made John Paulo tighten his grip in Stell's hair, accidentally pulling him forward all the way on his dick. Stell felt the tip of John Paulo's cock hit the back of his throat and he swallowed suddenly around the head a few times, breathing deeply through his nose to avoid gagging on it.

“I’m sorry, baby,” John Paulo apologized but his voice was strained. Stell would be lying if he said it didn’t turn him on even more. Knowing how good his boyfriend felt because of Stell had him moaning against his dick, sending a string of vibrations up the length.

John Paulo's soft, whispered praises of how good he felt, how much he loved the warmth of Stell's mouth around him, contrasted with his rough hands. The way John Paulo pulled Stell down further over his cock until Stell could feel John Paulo hit the back of his throat with every thrust had him hard and leaking as well.

He carefully slid his own pajama pants and boxers over his ass, wrapping his hand around himself. His strokes were becoming increasingly erratic and he couldn’t do anything about it – not when John Paulo was bucking up into his throat, meeting every bob of Stell's head with a thrust of his own. Not that Stell even wanted to do anything about it.

He could feel his cock start to throb, leaking precum obscenely over his hand. Stell was so close to coming but he wanted to get John Paulo off first – damn him and his stamina. So, Stell removed his slippery hand from around himself and brought it to John Paulo's balls, cupping them lightly in his palm, letting his fingers massage them gently as his mouth still worked itself around his dick.

The action had John Paulo's hips thrusting up harder into Stell until he was choking back tears. Within moments, he was choking back tears for a completely different reason as John Paulo spilled down his throat, in his mouth, across his lips, which Stell kept securely around John Paulo, giving him his silent consent to stay right there through his release.

He pulled off when John Paulo was licked clean and brought his hand back to himself, stroking eagerly until he found his release as well. When he was done, Stell wasn’t given a chance to react before John Paulo reached forward and pulled Stell flush against his chest, wrapping his hands around Stell's back firmly. Naked and sated, Stell sighed into the touch.

“You’re so hot,” John Paulo muttered breathily, nosing into Stell's hair affectionately.

Stell blushed but didn’t fight the comment. He hummed, turning his face to the side to hide some of the redness that had spread across his cheeks. It didn’t seem like John Paulo was keen on calling him out though. He was too busy tracing the pads of his fingers that he had slipped under Stell's shirt across his back, making nonsense patterns.

“We’re both sticky,” Stell reminded after a while, coming down from his high and hitting the realization that they should probably clean off.

“Way to state the obvious, dumbass,” John Paulo chided, pulling one hand away from Stell' back to run his thumb along Stell's red, rubbed raw lips.

“Is that any way to talk to your boyfriend who just gave you the best blowjob of your life?”

“Who said that was the best?” John Paulo quirked a brow challengingly.

“What? There was better? Let’s go again! I can’t have someone else outdo me for Sejun’s affections,” Stell pouted, moving back to get off John Paulo.

Even he wasn’t sure if he was being serious or not, but he didn’t have the chance to figure out what he was going to do because John Paulo's hold on his back tightened and he was pulled against his boyfriend’s chest once more.

Stell gazed up over his chest at him, pout still in place because he hated not being number one, no matter what it was they were talking about.

“Relax, I was joking.” John Paulo chuckled. “And no one can outdo you for my affections.” he added, shrugging nonchalantly. But he blushed slightly and the sight made Stell squeal in delight.

“I knew I was the best,” he said smugly. “Tell me I’m the best, Sejun.” he blinked his eyes up at John Paulo innocently.

“You’re the best.” John Paulo replied after a few beats of silence, making Stell's face light up in glee. The sincerity in his voice was what took Stell the most by surprise but he was oh so grateful for it all the same.

“Nu-uh,” Stell shook his head. “Sejun's the best.” he smiled, watching John Paulo's face turn an adorable shade of red.

“You’re so frustrating,” John Paulo groaned but he placed a soft kiss atop Stell's head all the same. “Now can we go back to sleep?” he asked.

“Yes,” Stell chuckled breathily.

They were both nude, sweaty and objectively gross but Stell didn’t care. Lying on top of John Paulo's chest, being able to feel his heart beat against his own, seeing the way John Paulo's face lit up when Stell propped his chin up against John Paulo's chest to gaze at him made Stell's heart swell wider than any clean bed ever could have.

It was disgustingly sappy but all that mattered was that he liked John Paulo and John Paulo liked him.

Stell was in an irreplaceably good mood all week, following John Paulo's birthday. Not only did he get to spend an entire weekend with John Paulo, but he had a party the following weekend to look forward to as well.

His week went by quickly, even with the business fair presentations that were looming. He sort of had a team ready, which should have made him nervous because sort of wasn’t good enough for him but he didn’t particularly care when he was high off spending so much time with John Paulo.

Stell was becoming attached and a tad bit clingy which he knew he was doing. But John Paulo wasn’t pushing him away. In fact, he seemed to welcome Stell's affection and that just spurred Stell on further.

“Sir Stell, are you listening?” Yuuki asked, breaking Stell out of his daze.

“Sorry Yuuki, what did you say?” he asked, shooting him a sheepish smile in apology.

“That’s okay,” he smiled brightly. With his long brown hair and sparkling personality, he was basically sunshine boy personified. Stell wasn’t sure how someone could be so pure but it was kind of cute, in an entirely little brother sort of way. “I was wondering if you could teach me latte art?” he asked hesitantly.

Stell perked up at the question. “Of course!” he beamed, moving towards the espresso machine to get a drink ready for them to practice on.

“Now?”

“Do you have a better time?” he teased, making Yuuki blush.

He shook his head in denial not to disappoint his assistant manager, so Stell continued. It was a Saturday afternoon and Coffee Prince wasn’t exactly brimming with new customers. Most people were either asleep or had already taken their seats throughout the establishment, caffeine-fix in one hand and assignment in the other. With the second half of the semester in full swing, the masses had either figured out their studying schedules by now or were still hopelessly procrastinating.

“Anything specific you want to learn?” he asked, setting the milk aside to let it steam.

“Just the basics.” he smiled.

Stell nodded, making idle conversation with him until the milk was ready to be used. There was another barista in the store, who usually kept to herself, which was fine by Stell so long as she didn’t complain about the way he ran things, which she didn’t. He let her handle the few customers who came in while he taught Yuuki all that he knew.

Although he was good at it, Stell wasn’t the best at latte art and everyone knew that, which was why he was surprised that Yuuki had asked him instead of Justin the reigning champion of fancy designs, or even JP who had been charming customers with his art before Justin got hired. It was kind of funny, albeit cute to see them compete with one another.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you wanted something from me.” Stell cooed, leaning his elbow against the counter as he watched Yuuki try to pour the steamed milk from the pitcher for the second time. His hands shook at Stell's brazen statement, making the design flop around the cup until it melted into a blob.

“Oh, I ruined it again.” he pouted, face pulled down in sad frown.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have been distracting you.” Stell apologized, wiping the milk that had spilled on the counter with a cloth. “You do want something though, don’t you?” he asked knowingly.

“Are you mad?” Yuuki asked hesitantly.

Stell chuckled at the response. “Of course not,” he answered, putting away any doubts that were lingering in his mind. “If anything I’m a little proud that you’ve learned how to sweet-talk people. Quite a quick learner, Yuuki.” he complimented, patting his head affectionately.

“Don’t do that.” he frowned but with his small stature it only made him look more like a kid. The pout made Stell laugh and Yuuki’s expression sour.

“Sorry,” he apologized, sobering up since he didn’t want to actually hurt his feelings. “What can I do for you?” he smiled, bringing a new cup of coffee and steamed milk in front of her to try. Stell figured they could hand the ruined ones off to some of the students later.

Yuuki hesitated for a few seconds before bringing her head up to look Stell in the eyes. “You know that girl that came to see you a few days ago? Black hair, glasses, small mole by her chin,” Yuuki listed off.

“Yes, she’s my new group mate,” Stell smiled.

He had been wanting to get Ashley on his team since first year but she always denied Stell and ended up working with Keith instead. She was smart as hell, and Stell often had to fight her for the number two spot in their classes. This year however, it seemed like luck was on his side. He didn’t care what had happened between Ashley and Keith but suddenly, she had agreed to Stell's constant proposals.

“What’s her name?”

“Ashley,” Stell answered, before a thought struck him. “Why? Do you have a crush on her or something?” he teased.

“Maybe,” Yuuki defended, face heating up.

“Oh my god seriously? I was just joking. But okay, yeah, she’s really pretty isn’t she?” Stell mused, making Yuuki flush harder.

“Do you like her too?” Yuuki asked, slightly flustered.

Stell laughed, shaking his head at the question. “I have a boyfriend, remember?”

“I’m sorry!” Yuuki apologized, turning redder by the second. “Forget it, I shouldn’t have asked you anything. She’s too pretty for me.” Yuuki sighed.

“What are you talking about? You’re plenty pretty, Yuuki. Plus you’re cute as hell.” Stell smiled, ruffling his hair again. He replaced his sullen expression with a pout at having been treated like a child. Stell was quick to retract his hand before he bit him, which he would never have thought was possible coming from Yuuki until that very moment.

“I was being serious.” he added. “You want me to say something for you? I’m a great wingman.” Stell grinned. Much better than JP at least, Stell thought, remembering how he had tried and failed to help Stell with John Paulo.

Yuuki chewed his bottom lip for a few seconds, seemingly in thought before he nodded. “Yes, okay.” he agreed. “But don’t be obvious. I don’t want her to think I like her or something.” he hesitated.

“But you do like her,” Stell reminded, chuckling. “How about I suggest we meet here the next time my group needs to decide on something together. Then you can blow her away with your fantastic latte art.” he beamed.

“But Sir Stell, my latte art sucks.” he said unhelpfully.

“it’s only been two tries. Come on, let’s practice again before the milk gets cold. Hold the pitcher higher and keep your hand steady.” he urged.

Most of the afternoon passed by with Stell trying to teach Yuuki the basics of latte art, which wasn’t a bad way to spend the day in Stell's opinion. While the store got busier later on in the day, he let the younger kid practice in the back, opting to take the new customers in his place instead.

Despite the fact that Yuuki’s hair was sticking to his forehead clumsily, he had a bright flush across his cheeks that showed his enthusiasm for his accomplishment by the end of the day.

There were a number of wasted drinks… but business was doing well enough that they could afford to lose a few. Stell had drank a couple of cups, to prevent it all from going to waste so by the end of his shift, he was a little too hyper and just a tad bit too jittery. Although he was still nothing compared to Yuuki, who seemed to be in a constantly chipper state since he had started practicing latte art that afternoon.

“Look what I made, Sir Stell!” he beamed, thrusting a cup in his hands.

Stell peered down and grinned when he noticed a nice, white flower in the middle of the steaming cup of espresso.

“Nice!” he grinned, holding his hand out for a high-five. Yuuki's hesitant to reach it before swinging his arms out to envelop Stell in a hug. Stell was taken aback by the sudden gesture but he put the cup that he still had in his hands to the side before returning the hug. He was shorter, it reminded Stell of hugging his nephew.

The bell above the coffee shop chimed and Stell instinctively turned his head towards the door to see who it was. His face split into a grin when he noticed John Paulo walk in with a short wave and a broad smile on his face.

“Sejun!!” Stell called out enthusiastically, moving one arm away from Yuuki’s shoulder to wave him over.

“Oh, Sir John Paulo, hello,” Yuuki squeaked, taking too many steps away from Stell to be considered normal. “Sir Stell was just teaching me how to do latte art. He’s really good at it – I’m sorry for hugging him – I should do that right? Please don’t be mad at me,” he apologized, lowering his head sadly.

Stell snorted at the display, which earned him a flick to the forehead from John Paulo. “Oi, don’t be an insensitive ass,” he chided. Yuuki looked like he thought John Paulo was speaking to him, and he instantly took a few more steps to the side, away from the pair.

“Yuuki, come back. Sejun doesn’t care~” Stell explained.

“Of course I don’t,” John Paulo promised. “As long as you’re not trying to steal my boyfriend.” he added. It was supposed to be a joke, but Yuuki didn’t seem to take it as one and he squeaked internally again, eyes going wide.

Stell couldn’t help but full out laugh this time, but he quickly sobered up when it looked like Yuuki might actually cry.

“I was just joking, I’m sorry,” John Paulo cut in, jabbing Stell's side to get him to apologize too.

“Sorry for laughing, Yuuki.” he said seriously.

“That’s okay,” he nodded. “I’m going to go steam some milk for practice again. Do you want to try one of my lattes, Sir John Paulo?” he asked. John Paulo nodded and he smiled back before skipping off.

“You’re so mean,” John Paulo tutted, shaking his head at Stell. He leaned his weight on his elbows which he promptly propped up on the counter.

“And yet, you’re the one he seems to be afraid of.” Stell reminded, leaning his face in closer until he could see every fleck of black and brown in John Paulo's eyes.

Usually when Stell got too close in public, John Paulo would take a step back. But this time he kept Stell's gaze, which ended up making Stell blush from the intensity of it.

“Hmm, I wonder why though.” John Paulo mused, brushing his nose against Stell's softly.

“I’m telling you, it’s your expressions. They’re so scary and intimidating. He probably thinks you’ll beat him up if he says something wrong.” Stell giggled.

John Paulo rolled his eyes at the exaggeration before an idea struck him. “Well if that’s the case, maybe I’ll just stop working out so much to not buff up.” he shrugged idly.

“What? No, you can’t do that.” Stell all but shouted, leaning back to frown.

“Why not?” John Paulo asked innocently.

“You know why,” Stell said pointedly, heating rising to his cheeks.

John Paulo chuckled in response, face breaking out into a grin. Stell took the opportunity to wrap his hands around the collar of John Paulo's shirt before tugging him in to place two swift kisses to his cheeks, right where his dimples appeared.

“Don’t avoid the question.” John Paulo grumbled, face burning up.

“Fine, I like staring at your arms, okay? Happy?” he cried.

He wasn’t sure why he was getting embarrassed admitting something like that now, when he had no qualms about telling John Paulo every other time. Maybe it was the public setting or maybe it was the way he felt the other barista roll her eyes at Stell as she passed by him to go to the back.

“Just my arms?” John Paulo smirked.

“Don’t push your luck, Sejun,” Stell scolded, eyes bright and shining despite the embarrassment written all over his face.

“You’re so shallow,” John Paulo joked, chuckling at the way Stell's jaw dropped open.

“Me?” he squawked. “What about you? Don’t try to deny you like my pretty face,” he challenged, smiling when he noticed John Paulo visibly flustered. He scoffed though, which made Stell open his mouth and deepen his voice in an attempt to match John Paulo's. “Oh Stell, you’re so pretty I ran away from you on our first date.”

“I didn’t say that,” John Paulo frowned.

“Stell, you’re so beautiful I lose myself in your eyes.”

“I definitely didn’t say that!”

Stell grinned wickedly, ignoring the wary look on John Paulo's face.

“Stell, you look so pretty wrapped around my cock.”

“For fuck’s sake, Stell, not here!” John Paulo groaned, clamping his hand around Stell's mouth to prevent him from incriminating him further. Stell licked the inside of John Paulo's palm, which the other man quickly retracted, wiping it across Stell's apron with a deadpan look.

“Are you two done with your gross flirting?” an amused voice cut off anything that either John Paulo or Stell were going to say in response to what had just happened between them.

“Charles, what are you doing here?” Stell cocked his head.

“I was asked to retrieve you so you made it to Justin and Ken's on time,” he smirked.

“So what you’re telling me is that you’re babysitting us?” Stell asked blankly.

“Pretty much yeah,” Charles agreed. “Well, just you, actually,” he grinned.

Stell groaned, but didn’t fight it. He checked the time to make sure his shift really was up before he head off to say his goodbye to Yuuki, who was working his first closing shift of the year.

When he had changed out of his work clothes and into his regular ones, Stell returned to the front, where Charles and John Paulo were talking to one another with a small cup of coffee in their hands.

“Looking good, Yuuki.” he greeted, noticing his handiwork in their cups. He smiled back proudly in response, before waving them off.

“So I heard your experiment kind of blew up.” Charles stated conversationally once they were outside.

“What happened?” Stell asked worriedly, if only because John Paulo had been working with Ken and Josh in his apartment. Stell already had to deal with enough of Josh's impromptu explosions. Even if he wasn’t at home, he didn’t need an experiment gone awry to come home to.

“That was a bad choice of words,” Charles corrected, noticing the distressed look on Stell's face.

“Don’t worry, nothing blew up.” John Paulo confirmed. “JP showed up and kind of broke the wings off the drone,” he chuckled, reminiscing at the memory.

“Is your project okay?” Stell asked worriedly.

“It’s fine, Ken had an extra pair of wings at his apartment so he said he could fix them on later. It’s not like we’ll be working on it much this weekend anyway,” John Paulo assured. “How’d you know about that though?” he asked Charles.

“JP called me panicking because he thought you all hated him,” Charles explained with a small laugh. “I told him that if you were really angry, Ken would have probably beaten his head against the door so he had nothing to worry about.”

“That’s true,” Stell mused. “Remember that time last year when we went out for his birthday and some guy followed Justin around the bar all night, even with Ken right next to him the entire time?” he chuckled at the memory.

“What happened?” John Paulo prompted.

“We got banned from ever going to that place again,” Charles deadpanned. “Ken smashed the guy’s face against the table at the end of the night. To be fair, he had been drinking quite a bit at that point and the asshole was pushing his luck.”

“Holy shit, I would never have guessed. He’s so… gentle.” John Paulo laughed, wondering just how pissed Ken must have been to do something so rash.

“Told you he was scary.” Stell tinkered. “Anyway, don’t mention this to him. Ever. Unless you want to see him drunk off his ass because every time this story is mentioned he drowns the memory out with alcohol.” Stell mused. “Something about tarnishing his reputation.” he added, biting his bottom lip to suppress his loud laughter.

John Paulo chuckled but nodded, keeping the piece of advice in mind.

If there was one thing that Stell had learned from years of friendship with Justin, it was that he knew how to throw a party. He came off as so innocent and angelic but he was definitely a devil on the inside, which he liked to show off every time there was alcohol involved.

This time, it was no different. In fact, it was a bit better considering the party was in celebration of his and John Paulo's birthdays, which apparently Justin considered to be the perfect reason to have double the usual fun.

Not that Stell was complaining.  
Not that anyone was complaining.

Even John Paulo, who liked to keep his alcohol intake in check every time they were drinking was cutting loose. The way he kept his hand firmly on Stell's thigh the entire night was more than enough to prove that.

But it seemed like out of everyone, JP was having the most amount of fun. Half way through the night, he had shed his shirt and was currently trying to convince Charles to take a shot off his stomach, who firmly denied wanting to take part in anything that had to do with that.

“Stell,” John Paulo mumbled, face pressed up against his cheek.

“Hmm,” Stell responded absentmindedly, trying to peek over the makeshift battleship board Josh had made from one of the empty pizza boxes.

They were using it to play battleshots and Stell wasn’t doing very well. He had only one ship left, while Josh still had two. He was losing – and if there was one thing Stell hated more than anything, it was losing. Which was why he was ignoring John Paulo's touches when under any other circumstance he would have been revelling in them.

“Hey! don’t cheat, asshole!” Josh huffed. Even he was feeling tipsy which was quite the feat considering his liver of steel.

“I’m not cheating – oh, Sejun!!” Stell scolded when he felt John Paulo's tongue dart across the shell of his ear. He needed to focus, dammit.

John Paulo ignored the warning, choosing to bite his lobe between his teeth instead, making Stell's hands momentarily stutter.

“F-6,” Josh said, promptly ignoring John Paulo and Stell.

“Fuck!!” Stell huffed, noticing that Josh had just made a dent in his last ship. He picked up the shot glass and downed half of it. But he couldn’t get the rest down his throat so he passed it off to John Paulo, who took it for him instead.

“Yes, I am so going to win!” Josh fist-pumped. “F-5,” he called, making Stell groan again and hand the shot straight off to John Paulo instead of even attempting to down it. If he had any more alcohol, not only was he going to wake up with a terrible headache but also he was going to throw up. Maybe all those caffeinated drinks back at Coffee Prince hadn’t been such a good idea right before drinking.

Although his reminiscent thoughts about his terrible life decisions were forgotten as soon as he felt John Paulo's lips against his ears again. This time whispering something that caused Stell's whole body to wrack in shivers. “Stellvester.”

He still wasn’t used to John Paulo calling him by his given name and if the way his body was reacting was anything to go by, Stell wasn’t sure he ever would.

“That’s two times in a row now,” Josh grinned wickedly. “You’re stuck cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom for two weeks!!!” he whooped happily.

“That’s not fair!” Stel complained. “Sejun was distracting me,” he argued.

“Don’t be a sore loser.” Josh smiled.

Stell huffed in annoyance but didn’t argue it. He watched Josh take his remaining shots with ease, slightly jealous of the fact that he could hold his alcohol better than almost anyone Stell knew.

“Don’t think I’m going to forget this bet.” Josh said in greeting before walking off to presumably challenge someone else to his dumb games. Stell wasn’t sure why he even agreed to them in the first place. He always lost to Josh.

“You made me lose.” Stell accused John Paulo, who chortled in response.

“You’re just bad at that game.” John Paulo defended, moving his hand higher up over Stell's thigh, until it was sitting snugly near his crotch.

“I’m not.” Stell pouted, eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. He shrugged John Paulo's hand off him in defiance, but that only made John Paulo smile lazily in response, which deepened Stell's frown.

“Come on, you’ve had a little too much to drink, let’s go home.” John Paulo placated, tugging Stell's hand in his own.

“Home huh? Whose home?” Stell questioned innocently. They hadn’t explicitly stated that they’d be staying the night at one or the other’s apartment, but lately, they had been doing that a lot without talking about it first.

Not that Stell minded. He liked spending the night with John Paulo, especially because that meant he got to wake up to him too. It was a lot easier to convince John Paulo to pay attention to him when he was already there, rather than try to convince him to take a break from his homework to spend time with Stell.

“Don’t care. I just want to fuck you.” John Paulo whispered, closing his eyes in a smile that was too innocent for the words that had just come out of his mouth.

“First you make me lose my game, now you don’t care about anything but my body?” Stell sniffed, jutting his lip out in protest.

“That’s not true,” John Paulo frowned immediately. He opened his mouth to explain himself but Stell cut him off.

“I was just teasing you,” he chuckled. “You’re so easy to get riled up,” he mused, pressing his lips against John Paulo's in a kiss that was anything but chaste.

John Paulo didn’t seem to care though. He opened his mouth immediately to meet Stell's tongue with his own, sucking against it lightly. When Stell tried to pull away for breath, John Paulo bit down against his bottom lip, making Stell squeal.

“Sejun?!” he scolded.

“Let’s go home, Stellvester.” he said knowingly, making Stell forget anything else.

Stell nodded his consent. They got up off the floor and moved to say goodbye to their friends, who dramatically made a big deal about them leaving so early. It was almost 2 am, which wasn’t exactly early but ever since John Paulo mentioned leaving, Stell had been feeling increasingly sleepier.

“Don’t come home!” Stell yelled to Josh right before he grabbed John Paulo's hand and tugged him out the door. He giggled at Josh's cries of protest, which went promptly ignored as the front door closed behind him.

“You know, we could have just gone to my place. You didn’t have to kick him out.” John Paulo reminded, taking Stell's hand in his own.

“Yeah but I’m on cleaning duty for the next two weeks.” Stell defended childishly.

“Admit it, you just hate losing.” John Paulo chuckled.

“So what if I hate losing?” Stell confessed, face pulled down in annoyance.

“I like it.” John Paulo said suddenly, making Stell's steps falter.

“What?” he asked in confusion, as if he hadn’t just heard what John Paulo just said.

“I like it,” John Paulo said again. “I like how competitive you are. I first noticed it last week when we were having random dance showdown. You get this glint in your eyes when you’re competing against someone and it’s fucking sexy.” he admitted, pulling Stell's lips against his own in a crushing kiss.

“Ooh, does it turn you on?” Stel teased.

“Maybe it does.” John Paulo shrugged indifferently. Stell's face lit up at the answer.

“We should dance more often then.” Stell suggested innocently.

John Paulo scoffed in response but he didn’t turn the idea down, so Stell took that as a win. He hummed, tightening his grip in John Paulo's hand.

They walked in a silence that was fitting for the atmosphere. It was peaceful outside – the weather was warm, the sky was clear and even amidst the many lights that surrounded the horizon in city, there were a few stars that Stell could spot. It was nothing like back home, certainly nothing like his province, but it reminded Stell of that time all the same.

“So, you think I’m sexy, huh?” Stell smiled, breaking silence between them as they neared his apartment complex.

“I just told you I do.” John Paulo said gruffly.

Stsll bumped his shoulder against John Paulo's in apology. “Don’t worry I think you are too, even when you’re frowning and grumpy.” Stell stated matter-of-factly. “And also when you’re angry – it’s a little enthralling.” Stell grinned.

John Paulo groaned in embarrassment.

Stell ignored him. “You know when I think you’re the sexiest though? When you’re really happy and smiling and your eyes are crinkled into crescents. You have these adorable dimples that make you look that much better and I can’t look away because it’s the nicest sight I’ve ever seen,” he said honestly. “I love when you smile.” Stell added.

I love you, Stell couldn’t help but think. He quickly stored that thought away for another time – a time when he wasn’t drunk and had a guarantee of remembering the things he had said the next morning.

“You’re such a sap.” John Paulo answered, but he was smiling shyly.

“This is where you thank me and tell me I’m the best boyfriend ever.” Stell reminded cheekily.

“Really?” John Paulo quirked a brow.

“Hmm, was I not convincing enough?” Stell hummed to himself. “I guess I’ll just have to do better.” he grinned before pulling John Paulo towards his apartment faster.

“Where are we going?” John Paulo asked, when Stell moved to the back of the complex rather than take the stairs up from the front.

“It’s a surprise,” he beamed. “I promise it’s good.” he insisted at John Paulo's hesitance.

John Paulo let Stell tug him to the back. He released his hold on John Paulo's hands before pushing his hands up on the dumpster near the wall. His legs dangled off the ground for a few moments before he used the rubbery soles of his shoes to get a firm grip against the metal sides.

“What are you doing?” John Paulo questioned, worried that Stell was going to fall off.

“Come on, jump up here,” Stell beamed. He had lifted himself onto the lid and was standing up on the slightly tilted stand. He had splayed his arms wide to get better balance, but most of it was just for show anyway. Stell had done this enough times to know just where to step, even if he was a little drunk.

John Paulo gave him an unamused looked but he followed Stell's lead and pushed himself up onto the dumpster as well. “What now?” he asked.

“Watch,” Stell grinned, grabbing hold of the ladder lining the back of the building. It was lifted off the ground, too far up to climb from the bottom, but good enough to catch from the height of the dumpster.

“Stell, you’re going to fall and break your neck!” John Paulo chided.

“Then you’ll just have to catch me.” Stell flashed a grin before climbing up the ladder.

Thankfully, the building was only two stories high and he didn’t have much to climb before he was leaning over and scrambling onto the roof. John Paulo sighed heavily before doing the same, because Stell was more than likely to complain until John Paulo joined him up there anyway.

“What are we doing here?” John Paulo asked, slightly terrified that something bad was going to happen. It wasn’t that he didn’t like heights, he did live on the seventh floor of an apartment building after all. But the fact that he and Stell had both been drinking didn’t make this adventure very safe at all.

“Proving to you that I’m the best boyfriend ever!” Stell responded easily.

“And how’s that going to work?”

“Shh, Sejun, you’re ruining the moment. Sit down.” he instructed. He crossed his legs on the gravelly rooftop, patting a spot next to him for John Paulo to do the same.

“Remember when we went to the lake?” Stell asked vaguely, sidling up as close to John Paulo as possible without actually sitting on him.

“Hmm,” he confirmed. “How could I forget?” John Paulo smiled lazily.

“Well, this is nothing like that, but when Josh and I first moved into this apartment, we ended up climbing to the roof on our first night here. And although this isn’t high enough to get away from the smog surrounding the city, it quickly became my favourite spot to see stars in the city,” he explained. “I can’t drive you somewhere fancy for a nice stargazing date but I was hoping that sharing one of my favourite spots with you could also work.” he smiled.

“Thank you.” John Paulo said sincerely, voice barely above a whisper. He was looking at Stell the way he had been that night – like Stell was the stars himself – and it made Stell feel self-conscious. But he beamed in response, eyes closing and teeth flashing with the action.

“This is a little belated but happy birthday, Sejun,” Stell whispered, hand fiddling inside the pocket of his jeans until he found what he was looking for.

He pulled out a thin, dark brown, braided, leather bracelet, with a clasp at one end to fasten it in place. Hanging off the clasp was a small, circular object, which upon closer observation was supposed to be a tiny representation of Jupiter.

John Paulo reached his hand out and Stell placed the bracelet in his outstretched palm. “You don’t have to wear it. I just thought it was cute and then I found this charm and I mean, it’s kind of cheesy so I won’t blame you for hating it,” Stell babbled nervously.

“Stell,” John Paulo said suddenly, locking their gazes together, effectively cutting off Stell's spiel. “I love it,” he confirmed.

“Really?” Stell asked shyly.

“Really.” John Paulo answered without missing a beat. He held his left hand out, waiting for Stell to take the hint. Stell paused for a few moments before it hit him what John Paulo wanted him to do. He happily clasped the bracelet around John Paulo's wrist, before he moved his face forward to kiss John Paulo's lips lightly.

John Paulo grunted in disapproval as Stell moved back too quickly for his liking. “Come here.” He cupped Stell's cheek with his left palm, fingers weaving between Stell's hair, before pulling him in for a proper kiss. The cool metal clasp and charm fell against Stell's cheek. He smiled into the kiss, which John Paulo used to pry his mouth open and slip their tongues together.

“Ah you really like it?” Stell asked when they broke away.

“I really like you.” John Paulo stated simply.

“But do you like the gift?” Stell pressed, ignoring the way his heart fluttered at hearing John Paulo say that he liked him, despite the fact that he said it often. “I know you said you didn’t want anything but it wasn’t even that expensive so don’t think of it as a birthday gift – not that I didn’t want to spend money on you because I would have–” John Paulo cut Stell off again with another searing kiss, grazing his bottom lip between his teeth lightly as he pulled back.

“I love it.” he confirmed, smile wide, dimples stretching across his face in that way that made Stell want to melt to the floor.

“I’m so happy,” Stell admitted. He wove his fingers between John Paulo's and leaned his head against his boyfriend’s shoulder. “So do you agree that I’m the best boyfriend now?” he smiled sleepily.

“Was that ever a question?” John Paulo asked, making Stell's heart beat a mile a minute. No matter how many times John Paulo complimented him, he could never get enough of his sincerity.

“And you called me a sap,” Stell stuttered back, unprepared for the explosions in his chest that were making it very difficult to breathe, let alone think.

“Let’s go inside,” John Paulo suggested.

“Mmm, a few more minutes?” Stell pleaded.

He stretched his crossed legs out in front of him before lying his head back against the rough gravel. It was a little uncomfortable with a few stray stones sticking against his scalp but he didn’t have much to complain about for long. John Paulo placed his hands beneath Stell's head and gently lifted it so it was across his lap instead.

Stell smiled up at John Paulo's upside-down face, stretching his arms out to pull him into a kiss. “Thanks, Sejun.” he glowed. John Paulo hummed in response but he let his hands run through Stell's soft hair affectionately as Stell moved from gazing into John Paulo's eyes to gazing at the scattering of stars across the navy sky above them.

“You know, you can still see Jupiter from here.” Stell beamed.

“Yeah?” John Paulo asked sleepily.

“Yeah,” Stell confirmed. He took John Paulo free hand in his own and pointed up in the direction of the planet. “Right there,” he said happily. “But that’s probably one of the only things you can see. This city sucks for stargazing,” Stell chuckled.

“Hmm,” John Paulo mumbled, too focused on watching Stell's bright expression.

“Oh but there’s also Sirius,” he remembered. “Although you can probably spot it anywhere considering it’s the brightest star in the sky.” he grinned.

“Where’s that?” John Paulo asked – not because he was truly as interested in the stars as Stell was but because watching Stell's face shine brightly was a sight he couldn’t get enough of.

“There,” Stell beamed, guiding John Paulo's hand in his to the new spot. John Paulo let him talk, humming every so often so that Stell didn’t think he wasn’t listening and prompting him to continue when he got silent, until Stell was too sleepy to say more.

Even when Stell dozed off, head rolling slightly in John Paulo's lap to get comfortable, John Paulo's hands never left Stell's hair, until the rhythmic movement of slipping his fingers between the softness had him falling asleep too.

And when they woke up, too early to be considered a full night’s rest thanks to the shining sun, breaking out over the horizon, John Paulo was grateful that they got to sleep outside.

Even if his back was sore and his head was pounding more than it ever had in his life, seeing Stell's skin catch the light of the rising sun – all those pinks and oranges that were the most beautiful at daybreak – had John Paulo wishing they could do this more often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was the clingy and drunk John Paulo???!!!  
> Or he's just really jealous of Josh? Hmmm..
> 
> Stell doing latte art is 🤍🤍🤍 😍 and really humble about it~
> 
> also, not SB19 but I really find PHP's Yuuki cute!! And Boss Stell being a cute apologizing boss is adorable too.


	23. Coffee Prince Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm filler chapter? JPxCharles centric

Monday afternoon, Stell had a shift scheduled at Coffee Prince. He didn’t like working right after seminar ended because it meant he had to rush to work thanks to the timing of his seminar along with the start of his shift. But when he saw Keith walk towards him with determination written all over his stoic face, Stell couldn’t have been happier to get out of the lecture hall and rush off to work with a legitimate excuse.

“Stell wait, I need to speak with you,” Keith's deep voice called out to him as Stell hurriedly packed his bag and walked towards the door.

“Sorry Keith, I’m busy!” he shouted, not bothering to turn around.

He could have told Keith he had work, but he had no doubt that the other man would follow him there if he did. Stell wouldn’t have been surprised if Keith did end up coming to Coffee Prince just to tell Stell what he wanted to, but he was saved by dance practice, which Keith never missed unless he had an absolute reason to.

Work was peaceful – nothing out of the ordinary for a Monday afternoon. And by the time his shift had ended, he had practically forgotten his and Keith's brief encounter.

While they had almost have every class programs, except for electives together, Stell tried his best to avoid him. And as awkward as Keith was, he rarely ever called after Stell unless he really needed something. So either he had just thought what he wanted to say was important, or he really did have something worth hearing but Stell had always been petty when it came to Keith. So he chose to forget that the other man had even spoken to him to begin with.

“I’m so tired.” Stell complained, throwing the door of his apartment open when he got back from work. He had an essay he should have been working on and project ideas he should have been sorting. But the idea of food was driving his thoughts at the moment. “Josh, make me dinner,” he said, knowing the other man was home.

He was pleasantly surprised though, to find that Josh wasn’t the only one who was in their apartment. John Paulo and Ken were hanging around the living room, looking so focused on their project.

John Paulo's face was scrunched up in concentration – he was sticking his tongue out slightly as he scribbled what looked like calculations across a page while Ken called out measurements to him.

“What are they doing?” Stell whispered to Josh who was standing back, arms crossed, as he watched the two at work.

“Dunno,” Josh shrugged. “It’s kind of mesmerizing though. In an entirely intellectual way,” he added, as Stell raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“I can see that,” he hummed thoughtfully.

Stell joined Josh, crossing his arms in an identical position, observing Ken and John Paulo hard at work. It didn’t look like either of them had noticed Stell yet, despite his loud arrival with how far into their own world they were. It was actually pretty cute and made Stell want to take a picture to frame the tenacious expression John Paulo was sporting.

Lately, John Paulo and Ken had been spending more and more time at Stell and Josh's apartment, thanks to their need for Josh's chemistry skills. Not that Stell minded though. It meant that he got to see John Paulo more, although it was often a distraction having so many others in the apartment quelled any inappropriate thoughts from developing at the thought of seeing John Paulo so often.

“Did you make dinner?” Stell asked after a while.

“Nah, I didn’t have time.” Josh admitted.

“Want me to just order in?”

“That would probably be best. Order for them too. I’ll bet they haven’t eaten since morning knowing their work ethic.” Josh said, jerking his thumb in John Paulo and Ken's direction. Stell chuckled but nodded his head, moving to the kitchen to find a takeout menu he could choose from.

He didn’t get a chance to make a call though because his phone rang before he could. It read unknown number, which Stell didn’t think much of so he ignored the call. He had a bad habit of not picking up when he didn’t know who was calling and it wasn’t like he was expecting a call anyway.

He moved to scan the takeout menus but his attention was diverted again by his phone that rang with the same unknown number across his screen. While he didn’t recognize it anyone from his contacts, the number looked local, so he moved back to the living room to see if anyone else had a clue.

“Do you know who this is?” Stell asked Josh.

Josh leaned down to take a better look at the number. “Sorry,” he shook his head in apology.

Stell frowned but the call dropped before he could contemplate picking it up, before it was ringing again. “Just pick up. It’s been ringing for two minutes straight now.”

“Fine,” Stell huffed. “Hello?” he asked, lifting the phone to his ear.

“Stell, don’t hang up,” Keith said, making Stell scowl immediately.

“And why shouldn’t I?” he bit back.

“Who is it?” Josh asked, noticing Stell's disgruntled expression. Stell mouthed ‘Keith,’ which had Josh knitting his eyebrows in confusion. “Put him on speaker,” he urged. Stell took the phone off his ear and held it on his palm between them.

“Stell? Are you still there?”

“Hurry up and tell me what you want before I hang up.” Stell snapped impatiently. His displeasure managed to finally catch John Paulo and Ken's attention.

“Is JP with you?”

“No?” Stell asked unsurely, aware of the eyes that were on him. He noticed John Paulo frowning at having recognized Keith's voice. “Shouldn’t you know? Didn’t you just have practice?” Stell asked, increasingly annoyed with every second that passed.

“He didn’t show up to practice today. Or yesterday, but I thought he might have been sick yesterday. He’s never skipped two days in a row without texting someone first.”

“What do you mean he didn’t show up to practice?” Stell narrowed his eyes.

“Just what I said. I tried to ask you after class, but you walked away before I could. Is there a reason for his absence?” Keith pressed.

“Well did he come home?” Stell snapped, because who cared if he wasn’t at practice. What mattered was that he went back to his dorm, which he unfortunately shared with Keith – the reason why whenever Stell hung out with JP, it was anywhere but there.

“No,” he answered bluntly.

“What the fuck? Why wouldn’t you start with that information?”

“I thought he was staying over at a friend’s. He does that often so I didn’t think much of it,” Keith defended. “You don’t know where he is?” he clarified.

“I’ll call you later, sorry Keith.” Stell suddenly declared. He hung up before Keith could protest, turning his attention towards his friends, who had all heard the conversation between him and Keith.

“Have you guys seen JP?” Stell asked nervously, hoping that Keith was just overreacting, in a weirdly thoughtful way.

“I haven’t since JP and Charles left our place early Sunday morning.” Ken frowned.

“Sorry, I haven’t spoken to him since that night either.” Josh apologized. Stell looked to John Paulo who also shook his head woefully.

“Fuck.” Stell cursed. He pulled out his phone and pulled up JP's contact information, even though he was pretty certain that he knew what the outcome was going to be. He was unsurprised when JP didn’t pick up, but that didn’t stop the panic from rising in his throat.

“Call him!” Stell demanded to the three others in the room. They gave him a wary look but they took out their phones because in his current state, no one wanted to tell Stell that all three of them calling at the same time wasn’t going to work.

“He’s not picking up." Josh said, earning him a glare from Stell.

“Hey, hey, calm down, Stell,” John Paulo said standing up and moving to Stell's side. Stell opened his mouth, to most likely yell something stupid at John Paulo. But his boyfriend was quick to cut him off. “Let’s call Charles since he was the last person to see him. Maybe JP's sick – he did have a lot to drink ” John Paulo reminded gently.

“Okay,” Stell nodded, biting his lower lip between his teeth.

“I’ll do it,” Ken announced. “You keep calling JP,” he said to Josh, who nodded before moving to the side to do as he was asked. The project John Paulo and Ken had been working on suddenly lay forgotten.

No matter what anyone said to calm Stell down, he knew there was something wrong. When JP was sick, he demanded attention from his friends – he never closed himself off. Often, when JP was down with something, either Josh or Stell would take the time to bring him food and force him to eat when Charles was busy, because he rarely listened to anyone else.

Even if he was incredibly hungover, he would have asked one of his friends to come over to his dorm, and the fact that he wasn’t even there worried Stell more than anything.

“He’ll be okay.” John Paulo said, placing a comforting arm around Stell's shoulder.

Stell wanted to believe him but he didn’t feel very optimistic. Instead of disagreeing, he made a noncommittal sound in response.

When Ken came back, his frown gave away the news in an instant. Stell whined pathetically because what kind of a fucking friend was he that he didn’t even think to worry about JP for the past two days? How stubborn could he be with his own grudges that he couldn’t even bother to hear Keith out when class ended – four hours ago?

“Charles says he hasn’t seen him,” Ken started. Stell opened his mouth to make a negative remark but Ken cut him off. “No, listen. Charles said he ran away from him. I’m not sure what the details are but after he walked JP back to his dorm, JP ran away in the opposite direction. I think they had a fight, which was why Charles thought JP was just ignoring him. He said he’d go out to look for him – what do you want to do?”

“We should do the same,” Stell insisted.

“I get the feeling that JP is just closing himself off and without anyone around to help him out of his mood, it’s lasting longer than it should so I don’t think we should be too worried but…” Ken trailed off hesitantly.

Stell understood where he was coming from. Knowing that Charles had seen him off and then watched JP run away because of whatever rift had happened between them calmed Stell down a little. Still, it didn’t dispel all of the worst-case scenarios that were swimming in Stell's head, especially because of JP's vulnerable state at the time he disappeared.

“You think I should call my dad?” Stell asked with a frown.

“I know it’s not his jurisdiction but maybe he can help.” Ken suggested.

“What?” John Paulo asked confusedly. “What’s your dad going to do?”

“He’s a Chief of Police,” Ken said with a frown – like that was just common knowledge between them. “He probably has contacts in this city who can help us track JP. It’s our best shot,” he explained.

“He’s what? You told me he was a police officer,” John Paulo gaped.

“Well, he is.” Stell defended moodily.

John Paulo opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it upon realizing that this was not the time nor was it the place to have that discussion.

“I’ll call him and ask what he can do,” Stell frowned, knowing his father wouldn’t be happy – probably considering this an abuse of privilege. But Stell could take the lecturing that would come with the request if it meant finding JP faster.

He left John Paulo, who had furrowed his eyebrows in distress was starting to look hesitant despite the calm demeanour he was trying to portray in the living room. While Stell headed to a corner of the apartment to make his call.

It was nearing 8 pm and his parents were likely having dinner if his father was even home, and he hated having to call under such circumstances, but what else could he do?

After a few apologies and a promise to call back more often – courtesy of his mom – his dad had agreed to ask someone for help. Stell relayed the news to his friends who had all decided that they should split up and look for JP themselves in the meantime, making a list of all the possible places he could have gone and tackling them one at a time.

“I called Justin, and he said he was near Coffee Prince so he’ll go to that ice cream place that JP really loves.” Ken confirmed.

Ken and Josh agreed to go to the school and check the classrooms in the psychology department, which had the comfiest lounges that JP often napped in, while John Paulo and Stell were given the task of going to JP’s normal running route along the river. There were quite a few stores along there that JP could also have been hiding out in.

“We can take my car, it’ll be faster.” John Paulo reminded when Stell made a move towards the train station. He nodded, gripping his phone tightly, waiting for the call his father promised someone would give him if they had any information. It technically wasn’t a missing person’s report so he knew it was low priority, but it made him anxious to know where JP was anyway.

Their drive wasn’t very long and incredibly silent. It wasn’t awkward, but it was tense. Stell felt John Paulo's grip on his hand tighten, but Stell fingers remained limp against them, afraid that if he held on too tightly he would end up crushing John Paulo's hand in his grip.

They made three rounds along the river, searched through at least twenty different small stores and even took a shot through a shady looking alleyway with a nightclub, but they didn’t see JP, nor did they receive any calls.

It was lateーway past midnight, by the time John Paulo finally parked his car behind a 24hr mart so that he could get something quick for them to eat. He handed Stell a bowl of cup noodles and a pair of chopstick; Stell regarded the meal with contempt, not feeling very hungry at all.

“Eat,” John Paulo instructed. Stell wrinkled his nose in disdain but he broke open the chopsticks and started scooping the noodles into his mouth mechanically.

“Thanks,” Stell mumbled, eventually remembering his manners. John Paulo grunted in response but otherwise, they ate in silence.

“Has he done this before?” John Paulo asked when he had finished, in an attempt to resolve the deafening quietness between them.

“Not to this extent,” Stell sighed. “He usually can’t handle more than a few hours alone and ends up calling someone.” he chewed his bottom lip.

“I’m sure he has a good explanation.” John Paulo reasoned.

“I guess,” Stell shrugged, not really bothered by JP's reason so much as the fact that he didn’t contact anyone.

They fell into silence again until Stell finished his part of the meal and headed back to the car. “Do you want to do another round of his running route or do you want to check somewhere else?” John Paulo asked once they had settled into the car.

“Let’s do another round then go help Josh and Ken cover the campus. It’s big – he may be cooped up somewhere there.” Stell suggested. John Paulo nodded his approval before starting the car up.

Stell leaned back against the seat. With some food in his stomach, he was starting to get sleepy. The thought made him feel guilty though because if he was tired, he couldn’t imagine how John Paulo was feeling. As far as Stell knew, he had only had two half-assed meals throughout the day because he had been so busy with his project and now he was out with Stell looking for JP.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

John Paulo gave him a curious look, turning his head back to the road in front of him. “Why?”

“You have an early morning tomorrow and I dragged you out. That was inconsiderate of me.” he explained sadly.

“You know that just because you’ve known JP longer than I have doesn’t mean that I don’t care about him as well, right? You don’t have to apologize – he’s my friend too.” John Paulo confirmed. “And even if he wasn’t, I would have still helped you. If it’s important to you then it’s important to me. That’s what being in a relationship means, doesn’t it?” he asked seriously.

Stell's throat felt dry at hearing John Paulo's sincerity. He nodded feebly, unsure if he would be able to get the right words out to express how much John Paulo's loyalty meant to him. He didn’t have to worry about it for long though because his phone rang and suddenly, all his attention was on the device in his lap.

“Hello? Yes, this is Ajero's son,” he said quickly. John Paulo pulled the car to the side as Stell spoke on the phone. “Are you sure? Okay. Yes, I know where that is. Thank you very much for your help.”

“Good news?” John Paulo asked.

“Yes,” Stell confirmed. “JP's home. Not his dorm, but his parents’ home. They must be out of town otherwise, they would have called one of us to get JP out of his gloomy mood. Can you drive us there if I put in the address?”

“Of course.”

Stell hastily put in JP's address into the GPS. As John Paulo drove, Stell called the others to let them know what was happening. After a little bit of prompting from John Paulo, he even begrudgingly texted Keith to let him know the situation would be handled and that he shouldn’t worry.

They all agreed to meet them there but considering John Paulo and Stell were the ones with access to a car, they arrived at JP's house first.

“Should we knock?” John Paulo asked, turning the engine and headlights off.

“Nah, he’ll probably try to escape if we do. Let’s go in from the back – there’s a spare key hidden in one of the pots.”

“Isn’t that breaking and entering?” John Paulo quirked a brow.

“My dad’s too important for me to get arrested.” Stell said teasingly, flashing him a quick smile. His mood had improved significantly in the time it took to drive to JP's.

“Yeah about that,” John Paulo started. “Chief of Police huh?” he asked, making Stell blush.

“I know, I should have told you but I didn’t want to scare you off.” Stell defended.

“I’m not mad,” John Paulo chuckled. “Just have to make sure never to break your heart I guess.” he mused.

“What?! Were you planning on doing that at some point?” Stell asked, smiling easily.

“You wish,” John Paulo scoffed, rolling his eyes. He held open the gate to the backyard for Stell before following him into the garden. “Anything else I should know though?” he added jokingly.

Stell pondered the thought for a moment before saying, “Yeah. My older brother’s also a cop, which you already know but uhm, he may or may not run the guns and gangs division in our town.” Stell said quickly.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” John Paulo whisper-shouted, because the neighbourhood they were in was tranquil and he didn’t want to bring attention to themselves. So late at night, they definitely looked suspicious.

“Does that make you nervous?” Stell teased.

“The head of the law enforcement of an entire province and a cop who regularly deals with the gangs,” John Paulo stated bluntly. “What do you think?”

“No need to be so sarcastic Sejun,” Stell scolded. “It sounds like you really were trying to break my heart at some point,” he hummed, feeling a stutter in his chest at the thought. “Well, at least you’ll think twice about doing it now.” he sighed, voice light and teasing, if only to calm himself down.

“That’s not funny.” John Paulo scowled. Stell pouted at the less than enthusiastic response so he took Stell's hand in his own, kissing his fingertips lightly in silent confirmation, before releasing them. 

“Which pot is it?” he asked, amazed at the number of plants that were littering the entirety of the backyard, all different colours and mismatched.

“This one.” Stell bent down to dig through a clay pot with white daisies painted onto the side. He lifted a smaller pot out of the larger one, camouflaged by their similar texture and colour, below which lay a key. “Let’s go!” he beamed, pulling the key out and wiping the excess dirt from his hands against his jeans.

“This feels so wrong,” John Paulo muttered but when Stell threw him a withering look he shrugged half-heartedly, following Stell into the house.

They slipped their shoes off, padding through the first floor quietly. The kitchen was empty but a static noise could be heard from the living room. Stell figured that JP was probably watching tv, or maybe he had fallen asleep with it on.

“Who’s there?!” JP called nervously. So he was still awake – that was good because it would have been weirder to show up in his house and wake him up, in Stell's opinion. Instead of answering JP's question, Stell flipped the light switch on.

“Ahhhhh~!!!!” JP screamed, standing up on the couch with a large chef’s knife in one hand and his blanket clutched in the other. His hair was sticking up all over the place way more than usual and his eyes were rounded and red from a lack of sleep.

“Fuck JP, put that down!” Stell yelled, moving to crouch behind John Paulo.

“Gee thanks Stell, just let me get stabbed with the knife?” John Paulo asked sarcastically.

“You’re supposed to protect me! Your death will be heroic!” Stell wailed.

“What the fuck are you guys even doing here?!” JP yelled, thankfully putting the knife down and stepping down off the couch. Without the extra height leverage and the weapon, Stell felt more at ease and he came out from behind John Paulo's broad shoulders, standing up straight next to the other man.

“Us?” Stell asked, rounding his anger at JP now that he knew the other man was alright. “What about you? Why did you come here without telling anyone where you were going? And what the fuck are you doing with a knife, you asshole?” Stell scolded. He shouldn’t have been so harsh but seeing Jp had riled him up.

JP's face fell upon hearing Stell's words. “I am an asshole, aren’t I?” he asked sadly, slumping down on the couch. He released the blanket clutched in his hand and pulled it over his head, pushing himself as deep into the back of the couch as he could with his knees tucked into his chest.

Stell felt guilt wash over him immediately. He scrambled to wrap his arms around JP over the blanket. “I’m sorry!” he apologized. “You’re not an asshole and I was mad because I was worried. But I shouldn’t have called you that. I care about you, JP. We all do.” He tried to peel the blanket off of JP's head but the other man was stubbornly holding on to it from the inside.

“No you don’t.” he said dejectedly.

“I don’t what? Care about you? Of course I do. It’s a Monday night, well early Tuesday now and I’m here because I care about you.” Stell insisted.

“I don’t get why though. I’m just a nuisance.” JP claimed. “You shouldn’t have ruined your night over me.”

Stell sighed knowing that this path wasn’t going to get him anywhere. “Can you tell me why you ran away from Charles?”

JP shifted inside the blanket. “You talked to Charles?”

“I didn’t,” Stell shook his head. “Ken called him to ask if he knew where you were. He sounded upset from Ken's description.” Stell said slowly.

“See? I bother everyone around me.” he sighed.

“We’re here because we want to be JP. Me, John Paulo, Ken, Justin, Josh and Charles were looking for you because we all care about you. Even Keith was worried. You know he called me to ask if I knew what had happened.” Stell chuckled nervously. “That just goes to show how important you are, right?”

Stell had never dealt with JP in this bad of a state before. He looked up from the couch to see John Paulo who was standing by the doorway, arms crossed with a thoughtful expression across his face. He smiled encouragingly at Stell, who nudged his face closer to JP's shoulder, tightening his hold around the man. His voice was muffled against the soft blanket but being so close to JP, he was sure he could hear what Stell had to say.

“Usually you talk to Charles when things go wrong,” Stell said carefully. “Can I assume that this has to do with him then?” JP didn’t answer for a few moments. Then he shifted under the blanket and Stell saw his head shake in confirmation. “Tell me what happened, please?”

“You’ll hate me.”

“I wont.” Stell responded immediately.

“I kissed Charles,” he said suddenly. Stell paused, jaw dropping at the statement before he composed himself. The pause was too long because JP let out a whimper. “I knew you’d hate me.”

“I don’t hate you,” Stell said quickly. “I just don’t get why you’re upset about that,” he stated honestly. “You know Charles likes you, right?”

“Yes,” JP nodded his head. “I don’t know why though. I’m afraid he’ll realize I’m an annoying person if we’re in a relationship and then he won’t want to be friends with me either.” he admitted.

“Is that what this is about?” Stell asked. “Charles would never do that. He’s one of the nicest people I know.” Stell defended.

“That’s even worse then – if he stays with me because he’s afraid of hurting my feelings. I shouldn’t have kissed him. I fucked up. I was too drunk and he looked really nice. And he kept complimenting me then he walked me back to my dorm and it felt like a date, you know. I thought what the hell, because people usually kiss at the end of a date, right?” he asked hopefully.

Stell's face twisted in worry. “You like him?”

“Yeah,” JP admitted.

“Then talk to him about your worries. You should tell him how you feel from the start and how he reacts will be a good indication to whether your relationship would have lasted if he found out later. If he reacts badly then it wasn’t worth it. And that’s not the kind of relationship whether it’s a romantic one or a friendship, that you want either way. And if you lay things out in the open and Charles thinks you’re better off as friends then hey, you didn’t even start dating so maintaining your friendship will be easier.” Stell reasoned.

“You think so?” JP asked, pulling the blanket over his head. His hair was sticking up even more now thanks to the static from the blanket and his eyes were wide, blinking in Stell's direction.

“Would I lie to you?” Stell asked, halfway between sincerity and teasing.

“Actually there's this one time you lied to me about the expiry date on the milk in your fridge.” JP reminded him mechanically.

There was a beat of silence between them before they both burst into laughter. JP pushed the blanket the rest of the way down his neck and torso so he could get his hands out from underneath it and wrap Stell in a proper hug.

“I’m so confused.” John Paulo said when they broke apart from the crushing embrace.

“Don’t worry, it’s an inside joke,” JP grinned. “Thanks for coming all this way Sejun.” he said sincerely, standing up and walking towards John Paulo to wrap him in a tight hug as well.

“Yeah, any time.” John Paulo answered stiffly.

“Group hug!” Stell called, latching onto JP's back. His arms were long enough to fit around JP's torso and grip John Paulo's biceps. He grinned knowingly to which John Paulo opened his mouth to protest but whatever he wanted to say was forgotten the moment Stell felt a pressure on his back.

“Ow!” he grumbled.

“I can’t believe you left me out of a group hug!” Josh complained.

“Josh?” Stell tried to twist his head to get a look at the man behind him but whatever vision he had left, squished between Josh and JP, was soon covered by Justin's smiling face.

“I want in on this!” he beamed, dragging himself in and stretching his hands as wide as they would go. Stell heard Ken's familiar chuckle before an added pressure to his left indicated that he had joined the hug as well.

“Guys I love you, but I can’t breathe.” JP complained, prompting everyone to fall back. When they pulled apart, JP was beaming, face flushed and sincere. Then his eyes landed on Charles who was standing a meter back, arms twisted behind his back and a pained expression across his face. “Charles, can we talk? Alone?” JP asked.

Charles nodded and JP moved to lead him into the backyard for some privacy.

“How’d you get here so fast?” Stell asked once they had retreated. He had thought that it would take his friends another twenty minutes at least considering the trains were so infrequent at this time of the night.

“Yeah, about that…” Justin said carefully. “Don’t freak out but Keith drove us.” he said quickly.

“What? What the fuck is he doing here?” Stell asked, incredibly annoyed.

“Didn’t you text him?” Ken cocked his head.

“I told him to go to sleep and not to worry because JP was fine. I didn’t tell him to come join us and I certainly didn’t tell him where he was. How’d he even know?”

“That’s… my bad.” Josh grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, he called me as soon as he got your text and I kind of blabbed but he has a car and we got here quick so you can’t really complain!” he defended.

Before Stell could grumble in annoyance, Keith walked into the living room. “Did someone call my name?”

“Is that your bat signal or something?” Stell said snappily, out of habit more than anything else.

“No, it’s my name.” Keith responded seriously.

“You’re so annoying.” Stell grumbled.

“Come on, Stell, be nice,” John Paulo chided, pulling Stell to his side to placate him. Stell leaned into the touch, comforted by John Paulo's warmth and the familiar smell of his cologne.

“Thanks, I guess.” Stell thanked Keith begrudgingly.

“You’re welcome.” Keith responded sincerely.

So maybe he was just awkward but that didn’t stop him from getting on Stell's nerves. For this one night though, Stell supposed he could keep his flighty comments to himself… or try to at least.

They scattered themselves around the living room, spreading out over the couch, the chairs and the rug on the floor, floating somewhere between sleep and consciousness. Everyone was tired but they were also very eager to know how JP and Charles' talk would turn out.

It took a while but eventually the two came back. And when everyone noticed they were smiling and holding hands, there were no questions asked. JP insisted that they all stay the night, considering it was very late and no one had any objections to the offer.

The night may have turned out different from how Stell imagined it would. But falling asleep next to John Paulo, surrounding by his friends (and Keith), Stell couldn’t have been happier knowing that everything worked out the way it was supposed to.

That didn’t stop him from complaining about how tired he was though the next morning, and trying to coax Keith into buying everyone breakfast, which the other man was surprisingly accepting of.

It was only when he felt a little tap to the back of his head, followed by John Paulo's, “Don’t be an ass, Stell.” did Stell grin and stop his goading.

He, nor anyone else for that matter, failed to notice the way JP and Charles hadn’t stopped holding each other’s hand for longer than they had. Perhaps this year was going well for more than he imagined. And Stell couldn’t have been happier with that realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't think if a way for Stell to reveal his dad and brother's business haha.
> 
> I think JP's worry is similar to Stell's before?
> 
> I wish I have a friend like Stell who will panic with me missing in action Σ(Дﾟ;/)/


	24. Coffee Prince Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY STELL 06/16 🌻

The rest of months went by in a blur. John Paulo would have felt bad about not being able to see Stell in that time as much as he’d have liked if it wasn’t for the fact that Stell was just as busy as he was. If Stell wasn’t at work or at school, he was in the library working with his group mates on their business proposal. John Paulo had his own project to be thinking about so it was comforting to know that he wasn’t ditching Stell. 

Still they made time to see one another quickly; their meetings for almost a month consisted of quick lunch dates and instant meals bought from the 24hr mart, eating in quick succession before they both went back to their own work. The only time John Paulo and Stell really got to spend with one another was at night because no matter how tired they were, they had fallen into the routine of coming home together.

Josh had once joked to John Paulo at the gym that he felt like he didn’t even have a roommate anymore with the amount of time Stell spent at John Paulo's apartment. John Paulo had felt guilty at the statement because he didn’t want to take Stell away from his friends. They're the ones that he had known longer than John Paulo at any rate. 

But he didn’t have anything to worry about. As Josh comforted him that he was only joking and reassured him that Stell looked far happier with John Paulo than he had ever looked in the three years that Josh had known him, all his worries were washed away. The declaration made John Paulo blush but it also made him happy because he felt happier with Stell than he had felt with anyone else. 

Which was why at the end of month, when Stell's birthday fell in the week right before final exams for the semester started, John Paulo felt incredibly guilty settling on just dinner and a movie. Stell had made his birthday special, he had made him feel happy and important and made him actually enjoy celebrating a day for himself for the first time in a long while. And while Stell insisted that dinner and a movie was great, John Paulo couldn’t help but feel like it was completely inadequate.

He didn’t want to do something for Stell just because his boyfriend had made his birthday the best celebration, in his twenty-one years of life but because he felt that Stell deserved it.

The timing just wasn’t great though but Stell was very understanding. He knew how busy John Paulo was because he was busy too. And although John Paulo could see that a part of Stell was little bit upset at not being able to spend his birthday in a bigger way, John Paulo understood that the feeling of disappointment wasn’t geared towards him at any rate.

Stell had been dealing with his birthday falling near or during exams for his entire life and this year shouldn’t have been any different. Knowing that Stell was disheartened made John Paulo feel weirdly guilty about himself. But once exams were over, they had a month and half of vacation which John Paulo hoped to use to make it up to Stell for not doing all that he wanted to for his boyfriend on his birthday.

The only problem lay in figuring out Stell's schedule for when he was planning to go home and trying to convince him to plan it around what John Paulo had organized for him.

“Sejun,” Stell whined, flopping down on his bed where John Paulo was lying, legs stretched, bare-chested and looking entirely too comfortable for Stell's liking. He purposely spread his arm across John Paulo's torso, laying half on him because the bed was small and he wanted to be close to John Paulo.

“What?” John Paulo asked, looking down from his phone. He smiled at the sight of Stell's hair flopping across him, tickling the bare skin just the slightest bit.

He had initially come over to help Stell pack because Stell claimed he couldn’t do it all by himself. But then he got mad at John Paulo every time he packed something in the ‘wrong order,’ so John Paulo had taken to browsing his phone. He was sneaking a few glances at Stell every time he bent over because no matter how many times he’d seen Stell naked, he couldn’t get past his wonderful body, even when it was fully clothed.

Exams had ended on Friday and they had both spent the weekend doing absolutely nothing, cooped up in John Paulo's apartment to make up for lost time. It was finally Monday and while Stell wasn’t planning on going home till the next week, he had too many things he needed to pack. John Paulo couldn’t understand why Stell couldn’t just live without his collection of movies, or his sweaters, which he certainly wouldn’t need in the summer heat.

“It’s cold.” Stell had argued when John Paulo had pointed that out to him.

“You’ve slept naked the past two days.” John Paulo had deadpanned.

“But I wont have Sejun to keep me warm back home.” Stell had pouted. He had then proceeded to beg John Paulo to warm him right then, which promptly put an end to their discussion as they ended up sprawled across Stell's bed doing just that.

After that though, Stell insisted he needed to get ahead on packing so he begrudgingly picked himself up, slipped on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and moved around the room, sorting through his belongings. For a small bedroom, Stell sure had managed to fit a lot of things inside it.

John Paulo had watched him for a while before he too picked up his discarded shorts. But no matter what Stell said, it was too hot so he decided to forego a shirt. That had been only thirty minutes ago and it sounded like Stell's attention span was waning.

“I’m tired.” Stell complained, using his hand that was lying across John Paulo's bare stomach to trace nonsense patterns across his tan skin. His fingers fit between the ridges of John Paulo's muscle and the feeling made John Paulo shudder despite himself. He shifted over slightly so Stell wasn’t lying half on him and half off the bed.

“That’s because you’re packing your entire room.” John Paulo chided, putting his phone down to the side and using his free hands to run through Stell's hair affectionately. Stell propped his chin on John Paulo's chest and looked up at him petulantly. The thigh that he had draped between John Paulo's legs was moving absentmindedly and John Paulo briefly wondered whether Stell had just slumped across him to get him hard again. Knowing Stell though, he wouldn’t put it past him.

“I’m tired because you’re not helping.” Stell shot back.

“You told me I was ruining your process.” John Paulo chuckled.

“Because you were. I told you not to the put the yellow sweater at the bottom of the pile and you did.” Stel said flippantly.

John Paulo rolled his eyes because Stell had more than one yellow sweater, so how was he supposed to know which one Stell had been talking about?

“I still don’t get why you need to take sweaters back. Your hometown might be further north than this city, but this is the hottest time of the year throughout the entire country.” John Paulo reasoned.

“I told you why,” Stell pouted. “You never listen to me.” he whined, dropping his head and rubbing his forehead against John Paulo's chest, half in frustration, half with affection.

“Like that makes a difference. It’s still hot,” John Paulo laughed.

“You know what else is hot? Or who?” Stell grinned, flashing John Paulo a knowing smile, lifting his head up with the sudden change in conversation.

“No.”

“You didn’t let me finish!” Stell complained, voice muffled against John Paulo's skin.

“I know what you want and we had sex not even an hour ago.” John Paulo rolled his eyes.

“You’re so mean,” Stell whined, lightly hitting his fist against John Paulo's chest. The action was childish but when Stell did it, John Paulo couldn’t help but crack a lopsided grin because it was still fucking cute.

“Pack your bags first, and we’ll see.” he shrugged ominously.

But they both knew that by the end of the night John Paulo would have given in to Stell's whims. Stell huffed against him but didn’t protest. John Paulo should have told Stell to get off and go back to what he was supposed to be doing right then. But he liked hearing Stell breathe against his chest. Just having him near him had a calming effect on him.

“You didn’t make plans tomorrow, did you?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them. 

“No.” Stell shook his head. John Paulo felt his bangs brush across his chest, tickling him again. “I want to spend time with you before we can’t see each other for over a month.” Stell moaned. He moved his head to be able to press open mouth kisses against the soft skin of John Paulo's chest.

“I told you to come visit me.” John Paulo laughed. “My mom invited you too, remember?” he reminded.

“Hmm,” Stell agreed dismissively.

John Paulo didn’t know why but every time Stell complained about not being able to see him and John Paulo suggested that he come home for a few days, Stell became unresponsive and moody. John Paulo was giving him a reason to stop complaining, but Stell seemed hell bent on not taking him up on the offer. It made him self-conscious and he figured Stell had his reasons. But unlike all the other times, he decided not to ignore the feeling today.

“You don’t want to?”

“Of course I want to,” Stell confirmed. He had propped his chin up against John Paulo's chest again and was chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully. John Paulo didn’t press him to explain further, but after a few contemplative seconds, Stell opened his mouth to defend himself. “It’s just… it’s only a month. It can’t be that bad, right? I shouldn’t make you feel guilty by complaining about not seeing you.” he rushed out, face turning pink from embarrassment.

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” John Paulo tapped his forehead lightly, making Stell's lips curl up. “I told you to visit me because I’ll miss you.” he said gently.

“Really?” Stell asked disbelievingly.

John Paulo fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Duh. You think after three and a half months I wouldn’t?” he asked teasingly.

Stell perked up at that. “You should come visit me too, then!” he beamed. “I mean, it’ll be the first time that you meet my parents so that might be awkward. And my house is always crowded because my sister and my nephew still live there. Then my mom likes to leave the door open so half the neighbourhood walks through it at all times of the day, but it’ll be fine.” Stell said more to himself than John Paulo. “You’ll come, right?” he grinned.

“If you want me to, I will.” John Paulo confirmed. 

“Yay!” Stell cried happily.

“Are you going to go back to packing now?” John Paulo asked knowingly.

“Yes!” Stell declared. “I have a reason to want to go home now.” he flashed John Paulo a smile. When John Paulo quirked his eyebrows in confusion, Stell elaborated, “Sejun's coming to visit.” He said it like it was the most obvious explanation in the world. “And I get to show off how handsome my boyfriend is to my sister and make her jealous.” Stell added teasingly. 

John Paulo blushed but he smiled at Stell's enthusiasm all the same. “Go pack,” he chided, gently nudging Stell off him and sliding off the bed to do the same. Even if Stell yelled at him for ‘ruining his process’, John Paulo was willing to try and help again if only because he had a feeling that Stell's bad mood was all for show anyway. Now that he didn’t have a reason to not want to go home, John Paulo figured Stell would be more lenient on him about his help with packing.

Waking up at 7 am on a Tuesday where Stell didn’t have to go to work was not in his repertoire, especially because he hadn’t even gotten to go to bed till four hours ago. Yet he found himself being shaken awake by John Paulo all the same.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Stell mumbled sleepily, curling his blankets in his chest tighter. Despite his words, he wasn’t doing a very good job of getting up to see what it was that John Paulo wanted. 

“I want to show you something,” John Paulo whispered softly in his ear. Stell groaned, swatting his hand back to make John Paulo move away from him because no matter how sleepy Stell was, if John Paulo was going to whisper in that voice in his ear, he wasn’t going to be able to go back to sleep. And he wanted nothing more than to sleep because this was his vacation, dammit.

Stell may not have needed a lot of hours to get by during the day but when he had the time to sleep in, he liked to indulge himself. At least – he didn’t want to wake up at fucking seven in the morning which he concluded it was when he cracked open an eye and noticed the slight light filtering through the curtains. 

“Stell, wake up.” John Paulo said again.

“No.” Stell said childishly.

“I promise it’s good.”

“So is sleep.” Stell bit back.

“You can sleep in the car.” John Paulo reasoned.

That caught Stell's attention. He turned over so he was facing John Paulo who was kneeling with his knees on the floor so his head could be level with Stell's sleeping form on the bed.

“I thought you said you wanted to show me something?”

“I do but it’s a little bit of a drive. Come on, I know you won’t regret it.” John Paulo pleaded, threading his hands in the bangs that had fallen across Stell's face. He pushed them side before leaning in to kiss his exposed forehead. “You trust me, right?”

Stell groaned at the question because it wasn’t fair that John Paulo was using that method. Still, John Paulo looked and sounded so sincere when he said he wanted to show Stell something that Stell was weak to do anything but comply.

“Alright, fine. Let me brush my teeth.”

John Paulo grinned at him, moving back to give Stell space to get off the bed. Stell rolled his feet off to hit the ground before using his hands to give himself a push. Yawning once, he made his way out of the bedroom.

When he was done in the bathroom, Stell caught sight of his dishevelled hair in the mirror. He contemplated fixing it but considering he was just going to fall back asleep in the car, he eventually decided against it.

John Paulo was waiting for him at the front door, dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt so Stell pulled on a similar outfit, except he grabbed John Paulo's bomber jacket that Stell had all but stolen to wear on top of his navy t-shirt.

“It’s not cold.” John Paulo reminded.

“At 7 am, it sure is.” Stell rolled his eyes. “Besides, this smells like you.” he smiled sleepily. He tugged the door closed behind John Paulo and locked it as quietly as possible so as to not wake up Josh who was still at home, sleeping like any normal person would be doing at 7 am on their vacation.

“Where are we going?” Stell asked, settling into the cozy leather seat of John Paulo's car. He immediately slipped off his shoes and brought his knees to his chest, making himself comfortable.

“It’s a surprise,” John Paulo grinned. “Go to sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there.”

Stell didn’t need to be told twice. Even though he didn’t really like surprises, he trusted John Paulo and the comfy seats were calling out to him. So he laid his head back against the headrest and pulled up the blanket John Paulo had tossed to him from the backseat across his body and fell asleep to the rhythmic sound of the car engine.

When Stell woke up, it was again with John Paulo's prompting. “Hey, we’re here.” he smiled, pulling the blanket off of Stell"s body. At the loss of the warmth, Stell let out an involuntary shudder.

“Where are we?” he asked, moving to peer outside the window his head had somehow ended up leaning against during the drive.

“Wait,” John Paulo chided, holding Stell's head between his hands. “Close your eyes and don’t look,” he prompted. Stell cocked his eyebrows disbelievingly, as if to say ‘really?’ but John Paulo didn’t budge. “Just do it.”

“Fine.” Stell complied.

“Don’t peak.” John Paulo warned. He moved out of the car and opened the passenger side door to guide Stell out. “I’ll tell you where to walk, so just trust me.” he said simply.

“Okay, okay.” Stell agreed with a small laugh.

To make sure that Stell didn’t accidentally open his eyes, John Paulo fitted his palms over Stell's eyes, blocking out most of the sunlight.

The walk was silent for maybe a few seconds before Stell got fidgety. “How much longer?” he asked impatiently for what was the fifth time.

“Almost there.” John Paulo replied mechanically.

“You said that the last time.” Stell complained.

“I wanted you to be quiet.” John Paulo admitted. “But we are almost there now,” he added, soothing Stell's putout expression. “Step up.” John Paulo instructed. Stell put his foot up and felt the floor change. “Take your shoes off.” Stell frowned but toed his shoes off of his feet. He felt the familiar feel of tatami mats below him.

“Are we at a spa?” Stell frowned.

“No?” John Paulo answered unsurely.

“We are, aren’t we?” Stell smiled, eyes still covered by John Paulo's palm. “Ooh, what are we doing here?”

“We’re not. You’ll see.” John Paulo said vaguely.

“Sejun, I already know where we are – you can remove your hands from eyes now.”

“Can you please stop talking for five seconds and just walk?” John Paulo groaned.

“Is this supposed to be a sex thing? Because if you wanted to try sensory deprivation then we could have just stayed home for that.” Stell said innocently, trying to rile John Paulo up because that was the only way he could think to agitate his boyfriend enough for him to release his hands from Stell's face.

“Stell I’m serious. Stop talking.” John Paulo nudged his back with his knee harshly.

“Ooh Sejun, how rough of you.” Stell teased. “I guess this really is a sex thing.”

He felt John Paulo remove a hand from his eyes quickly, opening a door open before his hand was back on Stell's eyes. If John Paulo wasn’t covering his vision, Stell would definitely have peaked.

“Stell…” John Paulo warned. Stell didn’t know why his voice sounded so troubled when he didn’t have a problem dealing with Stell's teasing before. But as soon as John Paulo dropped his hands from Stell's eyes and the sight of Stell's parents, siblings, and nephew came into view, he understood.

The only thing that had been separating them for the past few seconds was a wooden door, that wasn’t exactly soundproof. His jaw dropped at the sight – both from the shock of seeing them and from having just said too much in front of them.

“W– what are you doing here?” Stell screeched, feeling his face heat up. “Why didn’t you tell me they were here?!” Stell yelled, rounding on John Paulo.

“I tried to tell you to shut up but you wouldn’t stop talking.” John Paulo defended. “It was supposed to be a surprise.” he said, voice strained.

Stell looked at his father, whose eyebrows had risen so far up his forehead that they were hidden in his hairline, then his mom who had crossed her arms over her chest and looked like she was torn between disapproval and amusement. Stell buried his head in his hands and whimpered, because holy shit, those were not the kinds of things he ever wanted to say in front of his parents.

“My, my, my brother Stell has become quite promiscuous in this city, I see.” his sister Rose, chuckled.

“At least I’m not some guy who knocked someone up at their teens.” Stell rounded, voice raised to cover his embarrassment.

“Hey, watch your language in front of our precious nephew.” Rose yelled back, covering Lemuel's ears in mock seriousness.

Lemuel was eleven, and had heard way worse having grown up with his loud auntie and uncle in the house. The younger boy rolled his eyes, far more interested in his phone than the happenings of his family around him.

“Will you two ever grow up?” Stell's brother asked, moving past his sister. He flicked Stell on the forehead before turning his attention to John Paulo. “So, sex thing, huh? Tell me more,” he said innocently, leaning down to make their faces level.

John Paulo suddenly could understand why Jayson Ajero was a Chief Inspector. The way he had asked the question was so innocent but his words held more power than John Paulo had ever witnessed before.

He was all smiles, very much a copy of Stell, only older, slightly taller and with somewhat rougher features. He was smiling at John Paulo which was unnerving because he looked like he wanted to kill him at the same time.

“Kuya!!” Stell whined, shoving at his shoulders to move him away from John Paulo. “Stop intimidating him. It was a joke, right Sejun?”

“No, it wasn’t.” Stell's father’s voice finally broke the silence. His tone of voice didn’t leave much room for argument.

If John Paulo had thought Kuya Jayson was scary, then his father was a force to be reckoned with. Tito Jun's voice was deep, not very loud but impactful and John Paulo was fucking terrified.

“You do know what consent is, don’t you?” he asked seriously.

“Yes sir.” John Paulo answered stiffly. He looked like he wanted to die of embarrassment. Stell definitely knew that he wanted to die of embarrassment. He opened his mouth to protest but his father put up a hand and Stell fell silent.

“So you make sure Lester is okay with whatever you do?” he narrowed his eyes.

Stell felt his face get impossibly redder. From the corner of his eye, he could see the unreadable expression on his mom’s face and the amused, poorly hidden chuckle from his sister. His brother had crossed his arms, standing next to his father with a very similar frown etched into his face.

“Of course po.” John Paulo answered immediately.

“Tay, just interrogate me instead!” Stell whined

His father ignored him. “Have you ever hurt him?”

That was it – Stell was going to die of embarrassment. His family was going to be the end of his and John Paulo's relationship. He couldn’t believe his dad was asking these questions so seriously. The extent of his caring aside, Stell was old enough to know how to handle himself and he didn’t appreciate being treated like a child. Sure, he was the youngest boy in the family but he was an adult now. He was responsible and he wished his parents just trusted him enough not to embarrass him like that.

John Paulo gaped, aware of all the eyes on him. “I don’t believe I have.” he stuttered.

“You don’t believe?” Tito Jun repeated.

“I’m sorry.. what I meant to say it that no, I haven’t hurt Stell.” John Paulo confirmed.

There was an awkward silence in the air for a few moments after that before Stell's father took a few steps forward, nearing where John Paulo and Stell still stood. John Paulo swallowed roughly, thinking the worst but then a hand clamped down on his shoulder supportively. “Good.” Tito Jun complimented.

John Paulo let out a shaky breath. Stell whined without care. Stell's siblings laughed out loud around him while Lemuel moved aside to get away from their antics. At least Stell's mom was smiling softly in their direction – the only show of support from the embarrassment in the room.

“It’s good to see you Stell.” she smiled, finally walking up and engulfing Stell in a hug. Stell hugged her back, hiding his embarrassed face in his mom’s shorter frame. Thanks to Stell's unfair height, he had to bend down significantly. From this angle, he knew he looked like a child but after hearing his father question his boyfriend so bluntly, Stell wanted nothing more than to get away from everyone’s prying eyes.

“And it’s nice to finally meet you John Paulo. Thank you for inviting us.” Tita Mylene added, gently nudging Stell to the side so she could embrace John Paulo in a hug as well.

Before Stell could ask what she meant by that, his father spoke up. “I take it you haven’t had breakfast yet? There’s a small restaurant in town that I saw on our drive here. We should go there,” he insisted.

Despite not wanting to subject John Paulo to more time with his family, Stell's stomach rumbled traitorously. He looked to John Paulo who nodded. “Let’s meet at the front in fifteen minutes.” Tito Jun instructed before taking his leave.

Everyone nodded their approvals and slowly trickled out of the room, leaving John Paulo and Stell alone. Without the others to distract him, Stell finally took sight of where they were. So maybe it was a hotel, not a spa: big difference.

When Stell saw bags scattered around the perimeter of the room that he knew belonged to his family, he had a feeling that they’d be staying longer than just one night.

While under normal circumstances Stell would have been happy to see his family, after getting wholly embarrassed by the lot of them, he wasn’t so sure he was looking forward to whatever it was that John Paulo had planned.

“That was so embarrassing!!” Stell complained, turning around and dropping his forehead against the wall in an attempt to hide his face. “I’m so sorry Sejun, I didn’t know that was going to happen,” he apologized.

“Hey, that’s okay, I don’t mind,” John Paulo said, coming up behind him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “And you couldn’t have known considering you didn’t even know your family was going to be here. Kind of a shitty surprise, huh?” he chuckled nervously.

Stell turned around at that and leaned his back against the wall instead, remembering what his mother had said to John Paulo only a few moments ago. “You called them?”

John Paulo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Remember how you said we should go on a vacation during the summer break? I thought you would enjoy your birthday present more if you had your family around you.” he admitted.

“My… birthday present?” Stell gaped. “But we went out for dinner and a movie – that was enough.” Stell insisted. The redness on his face had decreased and had been replaced with a pink glow for an entirely different reason. “You didn’t have to do that,” Stell said slowly. He couldn’t even believe John Paulo had remembered what they talked about from what seemed like so long ago now.

“I wanted to,” John Paulo smiled. “I’m sorry for embarrassing you.” he apologized.

“Me? More like I embarrassed you. Or well, my family did. I am so sorry.” he said again.

“Yeah, they kind of did.” John Paulo admitted, chuckling slightly. “But it’s okay. They care about you and I can understand that.” he smiled.

It didn’t help that his brother were also a lot older than him – the age gap between him and his brother was six years. His brother had a career and settled, while Stell was still beginning his. They got along well but that didn’t stop them from teasing Stell mercilessly.

“How many days are we here for? Because I hope you realize this was just the beginning of the teasing.” Stell smiled nervously.

“Till Friday.” John Paulo confirmed.

Stell groaned. “Four whole days with my family and you stuck in a room together…” he trailed off with a sigh. “Fantastic.” he said sarcastically.

John Paulo's face fell and Stell felt like he had been punched in the gut. “I’m sorry, this was a bad idea. We can go home.” John Paulo said earnestly. “I shouldn’t have tried to surprise you.”

“No, no.” Stell scrambled off the wall and tackled John Paulo into a crushing hug. The force of it had them falling to the tatami-matted floor. John Paulo held himself upright with his palms spread beside him while Stell hung off his hips. “Don’t apologize for me being an unappreciative dick.” Stell said seriously. “This was a good surprise – the best surprise.” he insisted.

John Paulo smiled wryly at him. “You don’t have to lie to me not to hurt my feelings.”

“I’m not,” Stell said seriously. “I let my embarrassment, your embarrassment, guide my selfish thoughts. This was so nice of you to do and I really didn’t deserve it – especially considering how I didn’t even thank you yet.” he frowned. “I’m happy you called my family and I’m happy you brought me here. Hell, I’m ecstatic about the fact that you even remembered our talk about vacation. That means more to me than anything. This is far more than I deserve, so thank you Sejun.” he said sincerely.

John Paulo stared at him silently for a while. Stell felt his stomach churn in anticipation. He really was happy that John Paulo had gone so far from him. “You don’t hate it?” he asked finally, eyebrows pulled down in thought.

“I love it.” Stell emphasized, moving one leg over John Paulo's hips to straddle him so he could use his hands to smooth the wrinkles in John Paulo's forehead.

“Good, because it was expensive.” John Paulo teased.

Stell's jaw dropped open. “Sejun?! You shouldn’t have done that!” he scolded.

“I’m kidding. Your parents paid for most of it.” he corrected. “You’re so spoiled.” he sighed but the words were affectionate. He removed one hand off the floor, using the other to balance his weight and Stell's, who was on top of him. He traced the outline of Stell's cheek and jaw, cupping it lightly before pulling him in for a warm kiss.

“I’m sorry for being an ass.” Stell apologized again.

“You’re always an ass.” John Paulo smiled softly.

“Mean,” Stell complained but his protests were forgotten when John Paulo pulled him in for another kiss.

Stell grabbed a hold of John Paulo's shirt, clenching it tightly between his fingers for leverage as he opened his mouth and met John Paulo's tongue with his own. He didn’t even care that the door to the room was unlocked and that they were supposed to be meeting his family in the front of the hotel any minute now to head out for breakfast.

Not when John Paulo's hand held his face so tenderly, and certainly not when John Paulo moaned into his mouth at the feeling of Stell's fingers trailing over his chest.

“Hah– I win!” Rose announced opening the door across to reveal Stell straddling John Paulo's hips, with John Paulo's shirt halfway up his chest and Stell's hands splayed across the exposed skin.

“What? No way, Rose.” Jayson scoffed. “You’re lying – oh, I guess Stell still has all his clothes on.” he sighed coming into view around the opening as well.

“You bet on me?” Stell screeched, standing up and straightening himself out. John Paulo did the same, quickly pulling his shirt back down and standing up rigidly.

“No, I bet against you.” his brother corrected. Stell couldn’t tell if he sounded disappointed because he had lost or because he had struck out on an opportunity to interrogate John Paulo.

“I hate you,” Stell deadpanned, but it was half-hearted.

“Come on, nanay and tatay are waiting. You’re lucky we decided to come get you instead of tatay. He offered to, you know.” Rose winked. 

Stell flushed but he nodded. He grabbed John Paulo's hand in his and tugged him out of the room behind his siblings. Even though his family had embarrassed him and John Paulo so thoroughly, he knew they liked his boyfriend considering they were here and making somewhat of an effort. 

They hadn’t tried to arrest him at least which was the best sign Stell could ask for. And that thought alone put a wide smile on his face. 

He was worried John Paulo would pull his hand away when they got outside, but after the slightly lingering look Tito Jun gave their entwined fingers, John Paulo just tightened his grip, smiled sincerely, and walked with Stell next to his side all the way to the restaurant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lot happened 06/15, would like to dedicate a prayer to our beloved Felip Jhon 😊


	25. Coffee Prince Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Stell 🌻💛 06/16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how was the previous chapter? ^_^ 💜
> 
> someone asked for this so.. here it is 😎

After the initial, embarrassing encounter that John Paulo had with Stell's family, things smoothed over. Breakfast was fun, relaxed even considering the awkward talk John Paulo had been subject to with Stell's father in front of the rest of his family. 

It took him longer than he’d have liked to loosen up. But with Stell's hand gently caressing his under the table, John Paulo relaxed. Stell looked happy too which definitely helped John Paulo settle into maybe not ease but less discomfort at least.

Stell was smiling, talking animatedly with his parents, his siblings and even his nephew, who now that they were out of the room and not talking about serious things was way more talkative. John Paulo concluded that he was a smart kid because at eleven years old, he knew how to react to situations even most adults had difficulty reacting to. 

The hotel they were staying at was about a forty-minute drive from the base of the mountain but it was located in a small town with traditional houses and markets lining the streets outside. Fittingly, breakfast was traditional as well and after weeks of eating quick foods that could barely constitute a meal, John Paulo was grateful for the change.

The restaurant was busy but not packed, so when they had finished eating most of their meal and only the pickles and other small side dishes remained, no one felt bad sitting back and enjoying one another’s company. 

“So John Paulo, what are you studying?” Kuya Jayson asked him, sitting across the table from John Paulo. And although he had loosened up a bit since their first meeting, John Paulo still felt uneasy under his piercing eyes staring into him. 

“Mechanical engineering po.” he answered politely. 

“Oh, smart.” Rose cooed. “And you’re dating Kuya Stell?” she teased. 

John Paulo felt his face heat up. Next to him, Stell protested loudly. “I’m plenty smart too.” Stell defended. “Just because you’re a medicine student doesn’t mean you’re better than me.” he frowned.

John Paulo huffed a laugh but upon seeing Stell's petulant expression, he squeezed his hand under the table lightly, making Stell's expression soften. 

“You wanna bet?” Rose teased. 

“I can’t believe you’re turning into an adult.” Stell shot back. 

“Hey, I’m a fantastic auntie. Right, Lemuel?” she asked their nephew sweetly. Lemuel rolled his eyes from next to his tita but otherwise hummed in agreement. 

“Rose, don’t tease your older brother.” Tito Jun scolded, voice as firm as ever. 

John Paulo had somehow ended up in the unfortunate seat where Tito Jun was sitting perpendicular to him at the head of the table and Kuya Jayson was sitting across from him. Even with Stell to his left, he felt a little on edge. 

“Aw, no fair. Kuya Lester always gets special treatment.” she sighed, leaning back into her seat. Stell looked like he wanted to argue but upon noticing that his sister wasn’t going to say anything else, he yielded. 

“Anyway, why mechanical engineering?” Kuya Jayson asked, rounding the conversation back to John Paulo. 

“My dad was also a mechanical engineer and growing up, he’d take me to work with him often. He designed and safety tested cars and I guess I kind of fell in love with the profession watching him.” he explained. 

“That’s very mature of you.” Stell's father complimented. John Paulo coughed, nodding his thanks embarrassedly.

“Thank you, sir.” he said politely. 

“Don’t be so stiff. You can call me tito if you’d like.” he laughed, noticing the way John Paulo sat rigidly upon being addressed. John Paulo felt the tips of his ears redden further at the comment. He hadn’t realized how obvious he was being with his demeanour. “Are you planning on working at the same company when you graduate?” 

John Paulo shook his head. “I’d rather not. I mean, it’s a nice place but my mom’s the Director of Operations at the branch way back home and I’d rather not get special treatment because of her status.” he admitted. 

“And I suppose with your father working there too?” Kuya Jayson added. “Ow! what the hell, Lester? Why’d you kick me?” 

Stell narrowed his eyes and John Paulo immediately understood what Stell was annoyed about. He turned and gave Stell a small smile before he shook his head at the question. “No, he doesn’t work there.” John Paulo denied. “For the past three years he was actually teaching at thr university but he passed away last year.” 

The table fell silent. “Oh John Paulo, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Tita Mylene said apologetically from Stell's other side. John Paulo suddenly felt guilty for turning the mood somber.

He shook his head, waving off the sentiment. “That’s okay.” John Paulo smiled. “You can’t fight life.” he chuckled nervously.

There was a collective hum of agreement before Rose spoke up. “Are you sure you’re my brother’s boyfriend? You seem too good for him.” she grinned, flashing a peace sign at Stell who had started whining in protest. 

John Paulo chuckled, letting go of Stell's hand so he could slide his arm around Stell's waist instead. “Yeah he’s pretty great.” John Paulo agreed. Stell's frustrations lay forgotten at the feeling of John Paulo's warm arm around him and the sincere compliment that had come out of his mouth. 

He blinked, cheeks dusted in pink before he turned to stick his tongue out at his sister. “This is why my boyfriend is better than yours – oh wait, you don’t even have one.” Stell said triumphantly. 

Rose rolled her eyes. “That can wait. I have tatay, nanay and my cutest nephew in my life right here." she asked cheekily, pulling Lemuel in for a one sided hug.

“Tita?!” Lemuel complained, when Rose's long, black hair got in his face. She chuckled, pulling it back behind her ear but maintained her hold around Lemuel's shoulder.

They weren’t perfect but they made John Paulo feel welcome. They joked and continued conversation until John Paulo was laughing along with them, feeling more relaxed about teasing Stell with his parents watching. It made John Paulo smile, knowing that Stell's family was as good as he had come to know that Stell himself was. 

Although Stell complained about the bantering, he seemed to revel in the attention. John Paulo almost chuckled aloud at the thought because that was so Stell. He really was spoiled but he was also kind, compassionate and so loving. It was clear that he had good examples at home and had come to learn from them. 

He told Stell's family more about him and his mom and his home. And in turn, he learned more about them as well. Stell's mom used to be a teacher but she stopped working when his brother had Lemuel so that she could take care of him. She was a kind woman and it was obvious that her kids all got their delicate, refined features from her. While Stell's father had passed down his height to all of his kids and his broad build to his sons. 

Eventually, sing and dance topic came up which got Lemuel's attention. “What genre are you into?” he asked John Paulo enthusiastically. 

“Hip hop,” John Paulo smiled. “Awesome, me too!” Lemuel declared proudly. “Can you recommend me some songs?” 

“Sure.” John Paulo agreed.

“Hey, what about me? I can teach you dance too, you know.” Stell pouted. “What happened to you coming to me for help? Am I not your favourite uncle anymore?” 

“You were never the favourite.” Rose reminded. Stell huffed at the statement. 

“Don’t worry, you’re still my favourite uncle.” Lemuel stated, making Rose drop her mouth open in shock. The affirmation made Stell's mood lift slightly but his mouth still curved down sulkily. “Tito Sejun just looks cooler.” Lemuel said bluntly.

Stell looked between Lemuel and John Paulo, and his lips twitched in an almost smile, that John Paulo just knew had to do with a thought about his arms, the way his eyes lingered at the sleeve of his t-shirt for a tad bit too long.

“Don’t be jealous.” John Paulo chided before Stell made an embarrassing comment. “You can set a dance routine for us, how does that sound?” 

Stell perked up at the suggestion and nodded fervently. “Okay,” he agreed easily. 

“Huh, I guess you really are dating Kuya Stell if you can put up with his frivolous moods.” Rose laughed, which earned her a glare from Stell and a scolding from Tita Mylene, which she promptly rolled her eyes at. 

After breakfast, they changed into more appropriate clothes before they walked through the town. Stell pulled John Paulo along from shop to shop enthusiastically. Lemuel insisted on going with them and because Stell and Lemuel were both accordingly too hyper together for John Paulo to handle alone, Stell's brother decided to walk with them too. 

It was almost noon but Stell didn’t seem to tire of going into every store possible, trying on the pretty patterned hats and masks. He insisted that they get a souvenir but he was incredibly picky about what he wanted so he made them go into every single store. They were out for almost two hours, and in that time they had gotten around to maybe five shops, with the way Stell thoroughly checked through each one for the right thing, whatever that was. 

John Paulo was pretty certain Stell just didn’t know what he wanted. He didn’t mind though and the rest of their company didn’t either. Lemuel, while stoic on the outside seemed to be just as enthusiastic as Stell about exploring everything. 

“Papa, can you buy me this?” Lemuel came bounding to Jayson who was sorting through an assortment of hair clips. He held up a thin, leather bracelet, not unlike the one John Paulo had clasped to his left wrist. John Paulo was standing near enough to see what Lemuel wanted and his ears flushed at the sight. 

“Why don’t you ask your favourite uncle?” Jayson teased but he held out his palm for Lemuel to drop the item in it all the same. 

“Tito Teytey said he’d buy me anything but that,” Lemuel pouted. “But I saw Tito Sejun’s and it’s cool, right?” 

“Hmm,” Jayson nodded, eyes flickering down to John Paulo's wrist briefly. “Cool,” he agreed. “Alright, I’ll get this for you, as long you make sure your Tito Lester doesn’t spend too much longer in here. The shop owner is getting fidgety,” he bargained. 

Lemuel nodded his consent and walked back to where Stell was. Jayson turned back around to sort through the hair clips. “For your wife?” John Paulo asked. 

“Fiancée, actually,” Jayson corrected. “Stell didn’t tell you?” 

John Paulo shook his head. “He doesn’t really say much about you guys except that you know, you exist. I think he feels awkward, in his own weird way.” John Paulo huffed a laugh. 

“Sounds like him.” his brother agreed with a small smile. “He’s awfully pretentious and loud, but when it comes down to it, he’s incredibly sensitive.” 

John Paulo hummed because he knew how sensitive Stell was. But his caring attitude towards those around him was what made him special. 

“He’s genuine though,” John Paulo added, feeling his face flush at the admission. He wasn’t sure why he was telling Stell's older brother this. But something flashed in his eyes and his shoulders relaxed as he grinned at John Paulo. 

“I’m glad you think so.” he admitted caringly. Maybe it was the age difference that made Kuya Jayson so protective of him or maybe it was just his nature. Either way, John Paulo knew that Stell was lucky to have the family he did. 

“I know that I called to invite Stell's family, but I didn’t know you were with a son and to be engaged. Otherwise, I’d have extended an invitation to your fiancée as well.” John Paulo apologized. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Jayson waved off. “She’s actually in Japan right now. Her friend is getting married and she’s a bridesmaid.” he explained with a heavy sigh. 

“That’s a bad thing?” John Paulo asked before he could stop himself. 

Jayson quirked his lips at the question. He observed John Paulo silently for a little too long, and John Paulo thought he was going to chew him out for being rude, but then he laughed, loud and full. “Being part of the wedding party isn’t what’s bad. The fact that she’s going to come back with a billion new ideas for our wedding is.”

John Paulo cracked a grin. “Good luck,” he offered. 

“Thanks, I’ll need it.” Jayson chuckled. “Stell gave that to you, didn’t he?” he asked, head jerking down to John Paulo's wrist to indicate what he was talking about. 

“Uh, yeah.” John Paulo admitted, instinctively lifting his hand to rub at the back of his neck. The cold metal clasp hit his skin and it soothed the aching burn a little. “How’d you know?” 

“Stell's quite possessive,” Jayson laughed. “He spoils Lemuel rotten, so when he refused to buy him what he wanted, I figured it had to do with you.” he explained. 

John Paulo supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised by Jayson's deduction, considering that was a huge part of his job description. Still, he couldn’t help but admire how well the siblings really knew one another. 

John Paulo looked over to where Stell was at the mention of his name and grinned lazily at the fact that he was adjusting a doraemon mask on his face. He caught sight of John Paulo in the mirror and turned around to wave brightly in his direction. John Paulo was embarrassed by the display but he lifted his hand and waved across the shop at Stell in turn, cheeks burning in admiration. 

“Cute,” John Paulo mumbled without thinking. 

He turned to stare at Kuya Jayson, wide-eyed upon realizing that he’d voiced his thoughts aloud, but the other man was sporting an amused grin. 

“He is pretty cute, huh? Guess that’s all part of his charm.” his brother agreed, patting John Paulo on the back supportively. “I’m going to go pay for these.” he motioned to the bracelet in his hand and a delicate, gold, flower petal hair comb John Paulo could only assume was for his fiancée. “Lemuel seems to be indulging Stell rather than making him want to leave so I’m going to leave that task to you.” 

John Paulo laughed then nodded, as he stalked off towards his boyfriend and Lemuel.

“Sejun, will you like me even if my face turns like this?” Stell asked when John Paulo neared. He was wearing another ridiculous mask. 

“Maybe if you danced along to match the face? sure,” John Paulo quipped. 

“How shallow,” Stell pouted, taking the mask off and hanging it back on the rack with the others. “I guess I shouldn’t buy this then.” he sighed. 

“What were you going to do with that anyway?” John Paulo asked amusedly. 

“Scare JP, probably. You know we're both scaredy cats. We get really high strung when we’re watching a scary movie and this slightest thing might make him jump.” Stell grinned. 

“You’re terrible.” John Paulo shook his head, hiding his amusement as best as he could. 

“Is this how you flirt?” Lemuel asked, making Stell whine tetchily and John Paulo cough in embarrassment. 

“We’re not flirting,” Stell defended. “We’re just talking. Don’t be so rude, Lemuel.” Stell snapped childishly. 

Lemuel rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t making fun of you. I was just asking a question.” he elaborated. 

“Why do you want to know how to flirt? Got someone you like?” Stell teased. John Paulo hit the back of his head lightly in warning but Stell had already gotten that smug look on his face. His hands were on his hips and his eyes were practically glinting. 

“Don’t tell tita. She’ll just make a big deal out of it,” Lemuel sighed. 

“Of course not. Your auntie ruins all the fun.” Stell agreed. “But as long as your crush isn’t Sejun, your secret’s safe with me.” he nodded. “Your crush isn’t your Kuya Sejun, right?” Stell added as an afterthought, eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

“Oi,” John Paulo chided. “We should go,” he prompted before Stell could say anything more ridiculous. 

“Tch,” Lemuel tutted in disapproval as John Paulo led him and Stell out the store. “Kuya Sejun is already my uncle, that’ll be a weird crush.” he said, sticking his tongue out. 

“What? No he isn’t.” Stell complained, although he looked happier at the admission that Lemuel's crush wasn’t John Paulo. 

“As long as you’re dating him, yes he is my uncle.” Lemuel insisted. 

Stell huffed but whether it was in annoyance or jealousy, or maybe annoyance because of jealousy was beyond John Paulo. All he knew was that the look on Stell's face was so fucking cute and John Paulo couldn’t resist bringing his mouth to his cheek and giving him a quick peck. “Jealous I’ll take over the spot of favourite uncle?” he teased. 

“You could never.” Stell insisted. Before John Paulo could retort, he had turned his head and leaned in to give John Paulo a kiss on the lips. 

“Gross!” Lemuel wrinkled his nose. 

“Kissing’s not gross!” Stell huffed. “Besides, if you’ve got a crush, you’ll need to learn that.” Stell sing-songed. 

“I’m eleven.” Lemuel deadpanned. He trailed off after his dad who was waiting for them at the front of the store, two small neatly wrapped boxes in hand. 

“You’re such a bad influence.” John Paulo laughed. He tugged at Stell's hand until they were hidden in an aisle. “But you don’t have to worry because you’ll always be my favourite.” John Paulo said quietly, watching the way Stell's face lit up upon hearing those words. 

He leaned in to give Stell a proper kiss, one that he knew he wouldn’t be able to give when they left the store and were out in the company of his family again. 

It was brief and teasing, but when they parted and John Paulo could see the immediate red swell of Stell's lips, he thought that maybe it was okay if they went a few more hours without touching each other the way John Paulo wanted them to. 

The sight of Stell's slightly dishevelled hair and John Paulo's crumpled t-shirt didn’t go unnoticed by Kuya Jayson however, who simply raised his eyebrows knowingly. Stell flashed him a grin and a peace sign before taking John Paulo's hand in his and tugging him along the pathway back to the hotel. 

John Paulo was surprised by how quickly the rest of the day passed by. Unlike breakfast that had started off tense, lunch was a generally lenient event. They ate back at the hotel, courtesy of the inn, before exploring the rest of the facilities, then finally going to enjoy the hot spring. 

The baths were spacious and large, and while they gave John Paulo a reason to be able to stare at Stell's form, he wasn’t really able to enjoy it with Stell's nephew, his brother and his father right there. So maybe he hadn’t thought this plan out very well.

But Stell looked happy and his face hadn’t stopped glowing since breakfast, despite any jabs or teasing comments that had been thrown his way. The sight was enough to confirm to John Paulo that despite the fact that he would be severely cockblocked, Stell was happy, and that’s what mattered to him in the end. 

“Tomorrow we’ll climb to the summit of mountain,” Stell's father announced over dinner. “We should set out early in the morning to avoid the crowd.”

“I’ll be sitting out,” Tita Mylene smiled. “Asthma,” she explained, when John Paulo cocked his head at her curiously. 

“And Lemuel and I can only go half way with you.” Rose said.

“What? Not fair!” Lemuel complained. “I can get to the top, I promise I’ll be able to!” he insisted. 

“We're not doubting your endurance,” his father soothed. “I have to go to school on Wednesday so we have to go back home tomorrow evening.” he said smiling apologetically. 

“Leave him with us!” Stell insisted. He was earned a kick under the table by his brother, which John Paulo unfortunately felt the blow of too, because Stell had insisted on tangling their legs together. “Ow, I mean, I’m really sorry Lemuel but you’ve got to listen to your dad.” Stell apologized. “But I’ll be back home next week and we can go climbing.” he offered. 

Lemuel contemplated the offer. “Is Kuya Sejun coming too?” he asked bluntly. 

“I’m going home too for a bit,” he said slowly. At the sight of Lemuel's putout expression, John Paulo's stomach coiled in guilt. “But.. I can visit you later on this summer, if that’s okay with everyone.” he asked around the table. 

“Of course John Paulo,” Tita Mylene responded immediately. “You’re always welcome in our home.” she smiled.

John Paulo blushed but it was forgotten as Lemuel yelled a cheer. “Yes! Okay, we can go home early now.” he concluded to his father, in a way that reminded John Paulo very much of Stell. He stifled his laughter in his fist and didn’t feel bad when the rest of the table did the same. 

“It’s a long hour climb, so make sure to go to bed early and don’t wear yourselves out.” Jayson reminded, looking towards John Paulo and Stell. “Not that you can,” he added. “We’re sharing a room.” he elaborated with a large grin. 

Stell looked around the table like he had just been smacked. John Paulo realized it wasn’t ideal, but he could deal without touching Stell for one night. And besides, Stell's parents had graciously paid for two rooms, so who was John Paulo to object how they divided up the participants. 

“This is so unfair.” Stell mumbled under his breath. 

“Lester, don’t be rude.” his father scolded lightly.

Stell huffed a breath at having been caught mumbling. But when John Paulo ran his hand over Stell's thigh and squeezed his knee comfortingly, he perked up slightly, at least until dinner was over. Then Stell was back to sulking as they trudged off to their rooms for an early night. His parents, Rose and Lemuel were in one room, while Stell, John Paulo and Jayson were in another. 

Stell made sure to voice his loud complaints all through brushing his teeth and changing his clothes and even when setting the beds, which John Paulo ended up doing for him because he was going far too slow to get anything done. 

By the time John Paulo was tucking himself in, it was only 8 pm but he was full, and sated and pretty fucking tired considering how long his day had already been. 

Stell purposely pulled his bed right next to John Paulo's, while Kuya Jayson pulled his as far away from them as possible. Given the small room, it wasn’t very far but at least there was an appropriate amount of distance between them that John Paulo didn’t feel too awkward when Stell swung his leg over John Paulo's hip and nuzzled his face into John Paulo's chest. 

In thirty minutes, Kuya Jayson was fast asleep, and John Paulo figured Stell was too with the way John Paulo could feel him breathing softly on top of him. 

John Paulo thought that he’d be able to deal with not being able to touch Stell, but apparently he didn’t have that much self-control. The proximity was driving him nuts especially when Stell settled his leg deeper between John Paulo's and he had to physically hold back a groan. 

He conceded with running his hands across Stell's pale arm that was exposed under his green t-shirt, when he finally realized he wasn’t going to be able to get as much sleep as he wanted to that night. 

“Took you long enough.” Stell whispered quietly against his chest. 

“Sorry, did I wake you?” John Paulo whispered back, afraid that his touch had unsettled Stell.

“Nope,” Stell shook his head in denial and John Paulo felt the tip of his nose brush up against his chest with the action. “I’ve been awake this entire time,” he admitted. “Although you seemed to not have noticed.” 

“You asshole, you’ve been feeling me up on purpose haven’t you?” John Paulo groaned. He had been doing his best to hold back because he thought Stell was just moving around in his sleep. 

“Maybe,” Stell said vaguely. John Paulo knew that meant ‘yes.’ 

“We can’t tonight. Your brother’s right there.” John Paulo nodded his head in the direction of Kuya Jayson, who thankfully was still fast asleep even if he was too close for John Paulo's liking. 

“It’s fine, he saw us half naked in the hot spring.” Stell said dismissively. 

“For fuck’s sake, Stell,” John Paulo shook his head. “That wasn’t the issue.” he sighed, caught between amusement and distress. Stell frowned at him so John Paulo leaned in to kiss the pout off his face. But when he pulled back, Stell's face was still pulled down.

“Go to sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow,” he reminded. Stell grumbled for a few seconds before he shifted his weight and pressed his face back into John Paulo's chest. 

John Paulo didn’t care if they woke up wrapped around one another anymore. He was certain that no matter how much he tried to hold back with Stell next to him, he’d end up pulling his boyfriend into an embrace at some point during the night, anyway. So he decided to not leave it to his subconscious and wrapped a protective arm around Stell's back, using the pads of his fingers to trace the ridges of his spine.

It was silent for a few minutes and John Paulo honestly believed that Stell had fallen asleep. The thought was enough to make him feel sleepy too, but of course that was too good to be true. 

Just when John Paulo felt a wave of tiredness wash over him, and he settled his face into Stell's hair atop his head, Stell began to shift his thigh that he had draped over John Paulo's front. 

“You’re ridiculous,” John Paulo huffed. 

Stell looked up at John Paulo, chin propped against his chest, eyes shining against the moonlight streaming in front the slits in the blinds. He looked almost ethereal, even paler under the glow and John Paulo felt his heart stutter in his chest at the sight. 

“Fuck me and I’ll go to sleep.” Stell compromised. For such an angelic vision, he sure ruined it with his crude words. 

John Paulo sighed before shifting Stell off of him. “Where are you going?” Stell questioned, confusion spread across his face when John Paulo stood up. 

“We’re not doing that here.” John Paulo deadpanned. “Car’s parked outside,” he said before quietly opening the door separating their room from the rest of the inn. Stell quickly padded out after him, closing the door closed with ease. 

It was still relatively early and the halls were still littered with people coming and going into their own rooms so at least they didn’t look too suspicious. But with the way Stell immediately walked out after him, looking too happy to be considered inconspicuous; John Paulo felt his face heat up self-consciously. 

“Sejun, will you really fuck me?” Stell asked, draping himself over John Paulo's back and letting his arms fall slack against his chest. He leaned half of his weight on John Paulo while supporting the rest of his long-limbed self on his legs. 

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” John Paulo challenged. He took Stell's hands that were swaying across his chest in his own as they made their way out of the establishment. 

“I’m just making sure you’re not backing out.” he huffed.

“Sure,” John Paulo said indifferently. “Make sure to bail me out of jail tomorrow when I’m arrested, alright?” he joked. 

“Ah, that won’t happen.” Stell assured with far too much confidence. John Paulo figured he’d be lucky if there was even a bail placed on him at this rate. 

He couldn’t believe he was giving in to Stell's whims. He really did have very little self-control when it came to his boyfriend, which should have been frightening but it wasn’t. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t bring himself to really care about what he was wiling to do just because Stell asked him to. 

After all, in the end, Stell returned that affection ten-fold.

The parking lot wasn’t as empty as John Paulo would have liked. But most people weren’t spending their time in their cars, so John Paulo dispelled any wariness that someone would walk by. His car was parked far enough that the lanterns lining the walls of the hotel barely reached them. Bright enough to be able to see what they were doing, but dim enough that they hopefully wouldn’t be spotted. 

With the privacy of the parking lot, Stell was a lot bolder. John Paulo felt him drop more of his weight across John Paulo's shoulder. He pressed his chest flush against John Paulo's back, fingers pushing past the hem of John Paulo's t-shirt to spread across his abdomen. 

“I’ve been wanting to touch you all day,” Stell admitted, nibbling the shell of John Paulo's ear between his teeth. “You looked so good in the pool, flushed from the heat and naked. Do you know how hard I was under the water?” he complained tetchily. John Paulo didn’t know it was possible for him to get turned on by Stell's complaints alone, but something about the context had his cock stirring. 

“Yeah?” John Paulo questioned. “Well we’re alone now. Show me what you wanted to do,” he prompted, pushing Stell's back against the door of his car facing him. It was likely uncomfortable but Stell didn’t seem to care and John Paulo sure as hell didn’t. Not with the way Stel was slowly biting his lip, making the skin turn red and plump, looking entirely enticing. 

Stell didn’t hold back at the prompt. He hooked his fingers into the elastic of John Paulo's sweatpants, pulling him as close as possible before he deftly slipped his long fingers into his boxers. 

“Shit,” John Paulo hissed, because he hadn’t been expecting to feel Stell's bare skin on his cock so suddenly. 

“Mmm, looks like you wanted to touch me too,” Stell hummed knowingly, pulling apart the waistband of John Paulo's boxers and sweatpants with one hand while sliding across John Paulo's quickly hardening length with the other. 

“Fuck, Stell, not out here,” John Paulo groaned, but he couldn’t find it in himself to push Stell away; not when he had been the one to ask this of Stell in the first place, and certainly not when he selfishly didn’t want to give up the feeling of Stell's hands on him either. Instead of arguing that maybe they should move elsewhere, he rested his head on Stell's shoulder, breathing softly as Stell ran his palm over his cock. 

“Sejun, please kiss me,” Stell whispered and John Paulo was weak to do anything else. He grabbed Stell's face with both hands, tilting it down to reach his lips. At the same time their lips touched, Stell stroked him harder than his previous, leisurely pace and John Paulo involuntarily moaned into Stell's mouth. 

Stell took the opportunity to pry his mouth open, slipping his tongue between John Paulo's. But Stell was already in control in one place and John Paulo would be damned if he let Stell have his way up there as well. So he pressed his mouth deeper against Stell's, sliding their tongues together until John Paulo could freely glide his tongue through Stell's mouth, guiding his where he wanted it to be. 

“Aaah, Sejun.. mean,” Stell whined, breaking apart. His lips were covered in spit and while it was objectively gross, John Paulo couldn’t help but lean in and swipe his tongue over their shiny exterior. 

Stell blushed at the action, pulling his hand out of John Paulo's pants and wrapping it around his neck instead. “I want you to fuck me.” he reminded silently, mouthing behind John Paulo's ear, sucking along the column of his neck. “Please? I’ll be quiet so no one will hear.” John Paulo opened his mouth to protest that that wasn’t the issue but Stell beat him to it. “I’ll be okay tomorrow, I promise,” he insisted. 

John Paulo groaned, his brain deliberating somewhere between frustration and good sense. Stell was flushed and whining before him, sending him lustful looks and hot kisses over his skin. On the other hand, climbing the volcano was a long hour trek and John Paulo really didn’t need to be grilled on why Stell, who otherwise loved running and hiking, was suddenly not able to keep up. 

“Get in the car.” John Paulo groaned, sliding Stell aside to open the back door. He pushed the front seats up, making room for Stell to lie down across the back and giving himself enough space to kneel in front of him. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but John Paulo was so turned on that he didn’t care if his knees would be sore tomorrow morning. 

“Are you going to fuck me?” Stell smiled over his shoulder before turning back to get into the car first. He bent over to crawl into the back and John Paulo slapped his ass lightly, making him squeal. 

“I’m going to do something, so don’t complain.” he said knowingly. Stell frowned, but then John Paulo was turning him over so he was lying flat on his back, one leg steadying himself on the ground while the other was bent and pressed against the window. 

“Lift up a little,” John Paulo prompted. Stell obliged and John Paulo slid his sweatpants and boxers down his legs past his knees where they got tangled in his long limbs. John Paulo wanted to be able to run his hands down the expanse of Stell's unfairly nice legs, but there wasn’t any room and the sight of Stell already hard and leaking distracted him from wanting to do anything else. 

Stell propped himself up slightly, leaning his back against the inside of the car door, using his left hand to hold onto the headrest to support himself. He gave John Paulo a curious look when he lifted two fingers to his mouth, but then confusion turned to realization and he opened up, coating John Paulo's fingers in as much saliva as he could. 

“Sejun’s so good to me,” he cooed when John Paulo pulled his fingers out of his mouth and began circling the tight ring of muscle around his hole. 

“I thought I was mean,” John Paulo smirked, quoting Stell from only a few minutes ago.

“Only when you– hah,” he paused as John Paulo slipped a finger inside him. “Hold out on me,” he finished, voice hitched. 

John Paulo chuckled, moving his free hand to lift up Stell's t-shirt. He kissed the little bit of exposed skin, under his navel, around his cock that was lying heavy on his stomach. Stell whimpered sensitively beneath him and John Paulo added a second finger to distract him from John Paulo's mouth. 

“Aaah, Sejun, more,” Stell moaned, pushing himself down on John Paulo's fingers as best as he could, muscles spasming despite his pleas. 

“Relax,” John Paulo insisted. Stell didn’t know his own limits because although he wanted more, he was too tight and not nearly as easy to slide into without proper lube. John Paulo did his best to wiggle his fingers slowly, gliding them around Stell's hole that was clenching down on him mercilessly. “Baby, you’ve got to relax.” he prompted again. He waited for Stell to do as he was told before he started moving again. 

When Stell's little whimpers sounded more like pleasure than pain, John Paulo scissored his fingers and Stell taken aback by the suddenness of it, kicked hard against the car door. 

“Damn, be careful.” John Paulo chided because it sounded like he had hurt himself with the force of the kick. 

“Why? Will you be mad if I ruin your car?” Stell asked cheekily. 

“No.” He looked up at Stell from his spot on the ground, stretching his fingers again, watching the way the crooked smile on Stell's face twisted into an expression of desire. “I’ll be mad if you hurt yourself.” he said sincerely. He didn’t give Stell a chance to reply, moving his mouth over the head of Stell's cock, sucking lightly as his fingers fucked into him at the same time.

“Oh my god,” Stell cried, covering his eyes with his arm. John Paulo didn’t know why he was acting embarrassed now but it was cute. And it made him want to stretch him further until he could fit three fingers comfortably inside Stell. He felt Stell's hole twitch around him and he instinctively pressed in further at the action. His tongue laved languidly at Stell's cock head, occasionally sucking with a slight bit of pressure to soothe the obvious sting behind him. 

Once Stell got used to the new feeling, he used the hand that was resting on the headrest to support him as fucked himself on John Paulo's fingers. “Slow down,” John Paulo warned, pulling off of Stell's cock. He pulled his fingers out of Stell at the same time, making the man above him whine in displeasure, from the loss of touch as much as from the burn. 

“Patience,” John Paulo tutted. He coated his fingers in the precum and saliva covering Stell's cock. Stell peered down over his chest to see what John Paulo was doing and at the sight, his face turned pinker. 

“That’s so gross,” he complained half-heartedly. 

John Paulo hummed disinterestedly, continuing to move his fingers over Stell's erection until they were warm, sticky and slicker than they were before. He pushed past Stell's entrance, seating three fingers inside him once again. They were easier to move with the added lubrication and John Paulo didn’t waste any time pushing Stell's legs wider, digging his fingers in deeper and curling them against his prostate. 

“Fuck, fuck,” Stell cursed, hiding his face in his arm once more. When John Paulo stopped though, he pulled his arm aside, face glowing in the dim orange light that made its way into the car. “Don’t stop, please,” Stell cried, pushing his hips down against John Paulo's hand in search of friction.

“I’ve got you, baby.” John Paulo murmured soothingly, pressing his fingers back in, curling them in the same spot that had Stell bucking up off the seat. He set a bruising pace, occasionally stretching his fingers wider but mostly settling on curling them against his prostate and making Stell muffle out a moan. 

Stell had covered his mouth with his hand not too long ago, but when John Paulo saw the telltale twitch of his cock and he lowered himself to suck on it, one hand came off Stell's mouth to tangle itself in John Paulo's hair, pulling him as deep as he could go without giving up his hold inside Stell. 

“Sejun, faster,” Stell moaned, voice strained and hushed. John Paulo hummed, letting his teeth graze ever so lightly against the sensitive skin of Stell's cock, tongue coming out to soothe the area immediately after. “Fuck, holy fuck, I’m going to come.” he warned, bucking up into John Paulo's mouth. 

John Paulo moved his fingers faster, pulling his mouth off slightly so his lips were wrapped around Stell's head. He ran the flat of his tongue over the slit and sucked harshly – that was all it took for Stell to come in his mouth, crying his name in various pitches as he tried and failed to hold back his volume.

John Paulo didn’t even care if anyone heard them at that point because the sight of Stell splayed out in the cramped backseat of his car was hot and he couldn’t get enough of his closed eyes, his warm cheeks, his dishevelled hair that was so soft. He took in everything as he pulled his fingers out of Stell and wrapped them around the base of his cock instead, pumping him through his orgasm. 

“Oh my god– Paulo,” Stell cried, pushing himself up. He leaned in and kissed John Paulo immediately, open-mouthed and sloppy, running his tongue over John Paulo's lips as he lapped up whatever cum and saliva was left, adding more of his own in the process. 

“Now who’s gross?” John Paulo teased, pulling back and begrudgingly wiping his dirty hand on his pant leg. 

“Shut up,” Stell cried. “Wait– let me,” he said suddenly, noticing how John Paulo had shifted his sweatpants and boxers down his ass, enough to be able to get a firm grip on himself. He wanted Stell to touch him, but their positions made it difficult. 

He shook his head. “That’s okay, you can watch.” he smiled. Stell frowned and John Paulo was weak to his pouting, so he stood up as high as he could on his knees, took Stell's hand in his own and wrapped it around his aching cock. 

“Your hand feels so good,” John Paulo groaned, trying his best not to drop his head down on Stell's lap in the process. Stell perked up at the praise and he tightened his grip around John Paulo, pumping him even faster. John Paulo was already achingly hard from watching Stell squirm beneath him, so it didn’t take him much longer to spill in his boyfriend’s hand. He watched as Stell grinned at him, before bringing his hand up to lick it clean when he was done. 

“Holy shit,” John Paulo breathed deeply, afraid that he’d get hard again at the sight. He pulled up his boxers and sweatpants before burying his head in Stell's stomach, flopping against it carelessly. Stell chuckled, bringing his clean hand up to card through John Paulo's hair. 

“Sejun,” Stell said slowly, smile evident in his voice even though John Paulo couldn’t see it. 

“Hmm,” he acknowledged softly, basking in the sweet smell of Stell and sex. 

“Thank you.” 

“For what? Fucking you?” he teased. 

“No,” Stell shook his head. “For being the best boyfriend.” he said genuinely. 

Although he had said it right after sex, the honesty in his voice was obvious. Stell meant it about everything and John Paulo couldn’t help that his face heated up at the admission. His lips twitched and he pulled his head back up to take in the sight of Stell. He was smiling, bright and sincere, like John Paulo had just placed the entire galaxy in the palm of his hand and the impact of it all blew John Paulo away. 

“And for fucking me,” Stell added, grinning cheekily. 

John Paulo stared at him – his bright eyes that were so warm and expressive, his soft face that moulded under the slightest show of emotion, his smile that absolutely glowed when he was truly happy. 

“I know we probably ruined your car but I promise to help clean it up!” Stell insisted. He bent down to pull his boxers and sweatpants that were still tangled around his knees back over himself. “You have to admit, that was pretty hot though.” he grinned. 

John Paulo nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention to the buzz of words coming out of Stell's mouth. He was speaking and John Paulo was nodding, but nothing really stood out to John Paulo at the moment except how fucking beautiful Stell was, and how damn good he was at everything he did. 

“Sejun, are you even listening to me? Are you mad at me?” he frowned. 

Maybe it was the post-sex high or maybe John Paulo had known it all along. But before he knew it he had blurted out in a whispered breath, “I love you.” 

He noticed Stell's eyes widen fractionally and John Paulo almost wished he hadn’t said anything. But then Stell's frown turned up, and his eyes glistened slightly. John Paulo felt that maybe he hadn’t said the wrong thing after all. Stell took his hand in his and brought his face down so close that John Paulo could count the three tiny moles he had on his face. “What is it, come again?” he asked, placing John Paulo's hand on his cheek and resting his own on top. 

John Paulo shook his head, even though he knew Stell was teasing. “I love you, Stellvester,” he said again, this time louder. “Hell, I haven't said this before but I’ve love you for a while now.” 

Stell pressed his lips against John Paulo's own, kissing him deeply. He pushed their bodies as close as they could go and John Paulo obliged, not wanting to know where the divider between them lay anymore. 

“I love you too,” Stell smiled when they pulled back. John Paulo brushed the tears that had slipped down his face, returning the sincere smile as widely as he could. “Fuck, Sejun, this was so unromantic. You couldn’t have waited one day and told me at the top of the mountain?” he laughed jokingly between tears. 

“You’re ugly when you cry so all your pictures would have been ruined.” John Paulo teased, leaning in to kiss away the stream of tears leaking down Stell's cheeks, maybe adding a few of his own in the process. 

He was flushed, crying and they were sweaty from having sex in the back of a car. But Stell still looked fucking perfect and in John Paulo's biased opinion, there wasn’t a single thing he would have changed about the setting. 

“You can’t just tell me you love me and then call me ugly when crying!” Stell complained.

“Doesn’t mean I don’t love you though.” John Paulo chuckled. “And you’re only ugly when you cry cos I hate that.” he placated, tracing the lines of Stell's frown with the pads of his fingers until it turned up. 

“Okay, I’ve decided that we’ll tell people you told me you loved me after we climbed the top,” Stell nodded, like they were talking about a business proposal. 

John Paulo laughed loudly, shaking his head at Stell's ridiculousness. “But that’s lying.”

“You want to tell them it was after we had sex in the back of a car?” Stell demanded.

“Fair enough.” John Paulo admitted, chuckling slightly before he leaned in to kiss Stell again. His skin was soft and his lips were wet and salty but he melted into John Paulo's touch and John Paulo felt like he was drowning in the overwhelming sensation of it all. “Or we could just not tell people anything at all.” he added, pulling back. 

“No way! I want everyone to know how much Sejun loves me,” Stell declared. “And I want to tell everyone how much I love you.” he smiled. 

John Paulo blushed at the honesty, pulling Stell into a tight embrace. They stayed with their arms wrapped around one another for a few minutes, before John Paulo begrudgingly pulled them apart. “We should go back,” he sighed.

“Okay. Let’s wash off in the shower first though.” Stell nodded with a laugh. 

“Hmm,” John Paulo agreed, mind still in a bit of a daze. He pulled the car door open and scrambled out, leaning an arm back in to help pull Stell out too. 

“Such a gentleman,” Stell cooed, making John Paulo visibly fluster. He took his hand though and pulled himself out, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes before they were in the presence of other people again. John Paulo followed his lead and flattened his clothes too. But a sudden deep voice startled him and made him drop his hands. 

“Hands up, motherfuckers!” Jayson called lazily, leaning against the trunk of a car parked diagonally from them. His arms were folded across his chest and he was wearing a knowing smirk. 

John Paulo felt the colour drain from his face. Stell on the other hand blushed profusely, hiding his obvious embarrassment in his hands. “Kuya!!” he wailed. “Why are you standing there? Why did you even come out?” 

John Paulo didn’t care what he was doing there – he just wanted to know how this was going to play out. He blinked, mouth suddenly dry and palms very sweaty. 

“You’re so loud Lester,” Jayson provoked, causing Stell to stomp his foot against the pavement childishly. John Paulo wished the ground would just open up and swallow him whole. 

“I can’t believe you just stood there and listened, you weirdo!” Stell shot back. 

“I didn’t, actually,” Jayson shook his head with a small laugh. “I just got here and I was talking about you being loud about your declaration of love.” he hummed. “What were you talking about?” he asked, as if he didn’t know what they had just been doing. 

He leaned his weight off the car, stuffed his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants and walked over to them. With the way Jayson was looking at him, eyes slightly narrowed, John Paulo felt like a criminal. Kuya Jayson didn’t say a word and in the silence of the night, with the shadows partially covering his face, he looked way more intimidating. 

When he stopped right in front of John Paulo, Stell sucked in a nervous breath, that didn’t help calm down John Paulo's nerves at all. Jayson leaned in and clutched the front of John Paulo's t-shirt tightly in his hand, not enough to be threatening, but enough to show that it could be if he wanted it to. 

“So you really love my brother?” he asked carefully. 

Not only was he taller than Stell – hell he was even taller than John Paulo who was already unfairly tall to begin with. But also, it was obvious that his line of work required him to train very hard. His aura was delicate and soft with similar features to Stell's, and completely misleading because his build was broader, tougher, just like his father’s. 

“I do,” John Paulo nodded. He didn’t know where that unwavering confidence came from, but saying the words to someone else reminded him that he really had meant them when he said them to Stell. 

Kuya Jayson peered at him for a few seconds, seemingly trying to make sense of what John Paulo had just said before he released his grip and stepped back. “Alright, I guess you do.” he concluded. “Now go shower and go the fuck to sleep.” he sighed, turning around and walking back in the direction of the entrance to the hotel.

John Paulo let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding in. He was caught somewhere between relief and suspicion because that had been terrifying and too easy at the same time. “I am so sorry,” Stell apologized, fretting over John Paulo's shirt, smoothing out the creases that his brother had created. 

“It’s okay, I meant it you know.” John Paulo smiled. 

Stell beamed at him charmingly and John Paulo felt his heart lurch at the sight. He took a hold of Stell's hand and walked them back to shower off. 

His face felt like his face was going to fall off from how much he was smiling. Even when they changed into a fresh pair of clothes and settled back into their room, their beds now separated by Kuya Jayson's bed between them, John Paulo couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me a while to fit in the I love yous! in this multichapter~! I guess posting this on Stell's birthday was a bonus 😍
> 
> edit: I updated this before tm livestream and.. asdfghjl John Paulo's palanggana pickup line wrecked me 😂 coincidence with this updates cheesy ily haha


	26. Coffee Prince Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for continuously reading, alabyou!! 🔥
> 
> enjoy the fluff

“Hey,” John Paulo bumped Stell's shoulder gently. “Drink this.” He passed a bottle of water over to Stell, who took it happily and downed about half of it in one go. Their last break had been two hours ago and Stell had gotten this determined expression on his face since then, refusing to focus on anything but their climb to the most active and most conical mountain ahead of them. The perfectly shaped peak is a tough climb but the beauty and splendor view of the rurals and the ocean nearby will make this hike worth the hassle.

“Slow down or you’ll give yourself a stomach ache,” John Paulo chuckled, nudging bottle out of Stell'd hand before he could finish the rest of it off as well. He took a gulp, capped it, then nestled it back into the placeholder on his backpack.

“I’m so tired,” Stell sighed, not even caring about the people around him as he dropped the weight of his head on John Paulo's shoulder unabashedly.

There were a couple of odd looks from other climbers resting at the hut along with them that were thrown in their direction but Stell closed his eyes and ignored them. John Paulo flushed, but otherwise paid no mind to the looks either, shifting his weight slightly so that Stell could fit his head better in its resting spot.

They had been climbing for about four hours and they still had one third of the way to go. Stell wasn’t sure he was going to make it to the top with the way he was feeling – even though he would never admit as much to John Paulo or his family.

While he didn’t have bad endurance – years of religiously training for dance definitely aided in that regard but he also had never made a hike for this long and on a mountain this steep. To make matters worse, the sun was right above their heads because it was nearing noon. Thankfully the weather was cooler as they made it up higher but it didn’t stop his head from feeling like it was going to burn up all the same.

John Paulo handed him his own snapback that he had been wearing backwards on his head when Stell complained to him about that. But Stell was certain he couldn’t pull off the look so he refused, derailing the conversation by casually hinting that it was John Paulo's fault for not packing his toque.

In reality, he was being stubborn and would have been so much better off just wearing the damn thing. But he didn’t want to take away John Paulo's protection, no matter how gallant his boyfriend was and to top it off, Stell was adamant against looking bad, even though John Paulo told him he didn’t when he voiced his concerns. Besides, John Paulo looked way better and if Stell couldn’t pull off the look then he’d at least get to enjoy John Paulo in it.

“How’s your knee?” John Paulo asked, sliding his hand over the black leggings Stell was wearing under his running short. At least John Paulo had packed those correctly. Now that Stell thought about it, the only reason John Paulo had even decided to help him pack his clothes after he had scolded him for not doing it right the first time was probably so that he could pack their bags for the trip without Stell getting suspicious.

He blinked sheepishly at the memory but the embarrassment was forgotten when he felt John Paulo's hands slowly dig into the skin around his right kneecap. He stretched his legs out in front of him and nuzzled his cheek deeper into John Paulo's shoulder as his boyfriend gently massaged the area.

“Feels good,” he mumbled. “Thanks.”

“Yeah, no problem.” John Paulo smiled back sincerely.

He shuffled over so Stell could sit more comfortably on the makeshift rock seat they had perched themselves on. Stell's father and brother were sitting not too far off from them on a similar perch. They looked like they were ready to get back up and go but no one wanted to push Stell knowing that he would likely overexert himself before he admitted to having reached his limit.

Rose and Lemuel had gone back down about an hour ago and Stell almost wished they hadn’t because while his sister could be annoying, she was also chipper and the teasing was enough to distract Stell from how his knee really was starting to ache.

He looked over at John Paulo who was frowning at him, seemingly deep in thought. “I’m sorry,” he apologized.

Stell quirked a smile. “What are you apologizing for?” he asked, tilting his head to the side to get a better look at him.

“I should have thought about the strain this would put on you. You told me about your injury and the healing process and I was being stupid.” he admitted.

“That was ages ago. I’m not that fragile Sejun,” Stell tilted his head, smiling wryly in John Paulo's direction. “Besides, I’m the one who suggested we come here, remember? If anything I should be thanking you for following through.”

“Sure,” John Paulo agreed half-heartedly.

He was still eyeing Stell's knee with contempt, so Stell shook the joint, flexing it a couple times to prove that he was okay. “It’s fine. I’m wearing my knee brace and it doesn’t even hurt.” he grinned, maybe a little too quickly because John Paulo scoffed at him in response.

“Liar,” he said immediately but his tone of voice was caring rather than accusing.

“I like this,” he said sincerely, putting an end to any doubts swimming in John Paulo's head. “I’m glad we decided to climb.” he assured.

John Paulo observed him silently for a few minutes before he nodded his head. He continued to trace his hands over Stell's knee, using the pads of his fingers to gently apply pressure. Stell smiled, wide and sincere in John Paulo's direction because while his knee had been starting to ache, having John Paulo care about him like that was making the feeling of pain go away.

Maybe it was psychological or maybe John Paulo's brief massage really was helpful. All Stell knew was that in a matter of minutes, he was hopping back up and declaring that they move on even if that meant the loss of John Paulo's touch.

“Are you sure?” his father asked dubiously.

“I’m sure,” Stell agreed easily.

He could understand the doubt but Stell wasn’t the same person he was three years ago. While he hated to lose and hated to show his weaknesses even more, he understood that he had the support of numerous people around him. He still gave a little too much sometimes but he was aware of his limits. The way he felt after his knee gave out that second time was a feeling he never wanted to experience again.

“Well, if you ever get tired I suppose John Paulo wouldn’t mind carrying you.” his father joked while walking in their direction.

Stell blushed at the suggestion but it seemed like John Paulo was even more flushed than he was. Whether it was at the idea of carrying Stell, or the fact that his father had made the joke was beyond him. It was probably a mix of both though.

“Of course he wouldn’t mind.” Stell grinned through his embarrassment. “Sejun loves me after all.” he added cheekily.

That earned him a shove from John Paulo, who immediately reached out to grab his arm and steady him when he threatened to lose his balance.

“I hate you.” John Paulo huffed, cheeks absolutely glowing in embarrassment.

“I think you meant love Sejun,” Stell corrected smugly.

“You should never have told him that. Now he’ll just keep bringing it up to torment you.” Jayson chuckled, moving past them to start the trail back up the mountain.

“Yeah, I kind of regret it now.” John Paulo teased.

Stell's mouth dropped open at the proclamation. “You’re so mean!” he complained.

John Paulo pulled him into a one-armed hug to indicate that he had been joking, before sliding his arm down and around Stell'z waist to lace their fingers together. Stell was wearing gloves to protect his fingers, so he couldn’t fully appreciate how warm touching John Paulo made him feel. But knowing that John Paulo was holding his hand put a bright smile on his face nevertheless.

They climbed for the next hour and half in relative silence, keeping their conversations short to avoid running out of breath and taking more breaks than necessary. But once there were only about twenty minutes left to go, Stell felt his knee start to throb again with the increased steepness. The chilly wind nipping at his skin made him shiver and he felt the ache run down his leg.

John Paulo to his credit, noticed that Stell was straining himself right away. He tugged Stell's hand make him pause.

“What?” Stell frowned.

“Your knee’s hurting, isn’t it?”

“I’m fine Sejun, you don’t have to worry.” Stell grinned, trying and failing to make his words sound convincing. It wasn’t hurting that badly yet and Stell certainly had felt worse before.

“You’re not fine,” John Paulo glared. “Don’t lie to me.” Unlike his earlier teasing voice, this time his tone of voice was definitely stern.

Stell's face twisted down as much in annoyance as disappointment because John Paulo was clearly angry with him. He smiled through it which only made John Paulo's face furrow further in anger.

Their delay was noted by Stell's father and brother who were leading them by a few paces. “Everything okay?” Kuya Jayson called, eyeing the strained looks on both Stell and John Paulo's faces.

“We're fine,” John Paulo responded gruffly. “Stell's knee is hurting so we’re going to rest for a bit. You can go on, we’ll catch up soon.”

Stell frowned at the suggestion because John Paulo really did see right through him. With his dad and brother in the vicinity, Stell would have gotten back up too soon, even if that meant walking on an aching knee. The way John Paulo suggested that the other two go on ahead put a stop to that scenario from playing out.

Still, Stell didn’t like being the one to hold everyone back. He was fine – there were only twenty minutes left at best. He could get up the mountain and just rest at the top. But everyone else seemed to agree with John Paulo, much to Stell's chagrin. He felt like a child with the way they were talking about him like he didn’t have a say in the matter even though he knew himself best.

“We’ll meet you at the top,” Stell's father nodded his approval. He patted Jayson's shoulder and they turned around to continue their trail up the mountain, leaving John Paulo and Stell alone.

“Why’d you do that?” Stell complained, as John Paulo nudged him off to the side to avoid getting in the way of other climbers.

They had passed by a resting area not too long ago but Stell had insisted that he didn’t need to sit down then. The best they could do now was move out of the main path and lean against the rocky edge of a cliff.

John Paulo waited for the large group of people that had just appeared to pass by before he turned to face Stell with an annoyed expression. “What?! Make you rest because you don’t know your own limits?” he asked tetchily.

Stell was taken aback by the curtness. He blinked his eyes owlishly in John Paulo's direction before sliding down the rough dirt wall till he was sitting on the ground, legs stretched in front of him. John Paulo noticed the lack of reaction and he bent down next to Stell, moving his hand over to Stell's knee like he had done not too long ago.

But Stell felt insulted and if there was one thing he was good at, it was pushing people away when he was hurt. So he removed John Paulo's hand from his knee and replaced it with his own, pushing his fingers down like he had done many times by himself after a hard day of dance practice. He didn’t need John Paulo to massage his knee for him, even if he was so much better at it. No, Stell could and would do it himself, since he was such a fucking nuisance apparently.

“Stell, let me..” John Paulo insisted, voice uncharacteristically soft in comparison to his earlier gruff tone.

“No,” Stell said defiantly. He pushed John Paulo's hands that had lingered on top of his away once more, turning his body slightly so he didn’t have to face him. It was childish but he was angry, even if he was wrong.

John Paulo didn’t try to reach out for his knee again. And while Stell should have been pleased that he listened to him, all that did was sour his mood further. He felt the other man shift besides him so he was lying against the rocky cliff as well, but he didn’t speak.

Stell could feel his eyes on him every few seconds and within minutes, he was feeling guilty for having treated John Paulo badly even if he had been blunt with Stell. He couldn’t stay angry with John Paulo for long, especially not when all his boyfriend was trying to do was look out for him. He hadn’t been annoying or overbearing – Stell was just being sensitive instead of appreciating John Paulo's care for him.

“I’m sorry,” Stell apologized softly, turning his body back so he could face John Paulo.

“That’s okay, I was kind of hard on you.” John Paulo admitted.

Stell shook his head in denial. “No, you weren’t. I was just upset because I felt like I was holding everyone back.” he confessed.

“I know you think that you need to be your best all the time, but you are, no matter what you do.." John Paulo said sincerely. “You’re not holding anyone back. Least of all your family, who knows you the best.”

“What about you?” Stell asked, biting his lower lip between his teeth.

“What about me?” John Paulo repeated, eyebrows scrunched together slightly in confusion.

“You said my family knows me the best, but what about you?” Stell clarified.

John Paulo's face heated up at the question. Stell almost smiled at the sudden blush that spread across John Paulo's cheeks, mixing in with the slight pink tint that was already there from the wind nipping at his exposed skin.

“I like to think I know you,” John Paulo sighed. “But you make it incredibly hard when you try to shoulder things yourself.” he admitted. “Don’t do that. You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Stell's face fell slightly but then John Paulo leaned in and kissed the frown away. He moved Stell's hands away from his knee and replaced them with his own fingers. Stell let him ease the pain away until it no longer ached.

While Stell wanted to continue their climb and make it to the top to meet his dad and his brother, he also wanted to stay right there, on the dirty ground, with John Paulo's hands kneading his skin softly between his fingers. Up there on the mountain, under the shade of the rocky cliffs and the warmth of John Paulo's body next to his, Stell felt like he didn’t need anywhere else.

“I love you,” John Paulo said suddenly, dipping down to place a soft kiss to Stell's kneecap. He grinned when he saw the dumbstruck look on Stell's face.

“Sejun?!” Stell complained.

“What did I do?”

“You were supposed to tell me that when we got to the top! You haven’t said that to me all day and you say it now of all times?” Stell gestured around to their surroundings. It wasn’t like it was an ugly sight, especially with them being so high up but it wasn’t how he had imagined it to be either.

“I’ll tell you when we get to the top too if that’s what you want,” John Paulo chuckled.

“That’s not how it works. You’re not supposed to say it because I tell you to. You’re supposed to say it because you want to.” Stell insisted.

He had been repeating those three words to John Paulo all day and John Paulo had only hummed, and kissed Stell every single time. Stell figured he was actually going to tell him again when they got to the summit, like Stell had teased him to do the night before but apparently he was wrong.

Really, he shouldn’t have been complaining but he was jittery from the high of emotions and he was upset with himself for being a complete jackass. So the fact that John Paulo told him he loved him right after that made him feel even worse.

“What’s the difference? I told you the first time without your prompting so it’s not as if the meaning goes away now. I can say it whenever I want.” John Paulo laughed.

“But you ruined it.” Stell pouted.

“I love you,” he laughed, watching the way Stell's jaw dropped.

“No, Sejun!” Stell scolded, putting his hand over John Paulo's mouth.

“I love you.” John Paulo said again, moving Stell's hand out of the way.

“Gah– stop it!” Stell whined half-heartedly, dragging the syllables out.

“I love you, I love you, I love you..” John Paulo laughed, kissing Stell's cheek after every confession. “And I’ll tell you as many times as I want, whenever I want.” he added, smiling at the way Stell's face lit up.

“You’re the worst.” Stell pouted, face unbearably red from embarrassment.

“Should I stop saying it altogether then?” John Paulo questioned.

“No!” Stell cut him off.

“Make up your mind,” John Paulo rolled his eyes weakly. Stell shoved his shoulder lightly but he was smiling and he certainly felt better – both his knee and his mood had improved. He didn’t want to get up but the thought of finally being at the top of the mountain was enough to make him give in.

John Paulo noticed his shift, and he pushed himself off the ground. “You good now?”

“Yes.” Stell smiled sincerely. John Paulo returned the look and Stell's heart almost melted at the sight. “Help me up, please?” he asked teasingly, stretching his arms out wide in front of him for John Paulo to grab on to. He had mostly been joking but then John Paulo clasped Stell's hands in his own and tugged him into a standing position.

“So strong,” Stell cooed. “Does this mean you’ll carry me too?” he hummed, moving around to press his weight against John Paulo's back briefly.

“If you want.” John Paulo responded seriously.

“What?” Stell asked, stunned. “I was just joking,” he waved off, pushing himself off of John Paulo's back to come around to his side.

“Alright.” John Paulo agreed. He laced his fingers with Stell's once again and tugged on his hand gently to guide him back on the trail.

With Stell feeling in much better spirits, the twenty minutes it took to get to the top passed by with ease. As they journeyed through the shallow streams and rocky roads, there's the green lava trail which would lead to the peak of the mountain.

On the final stretch, once cleared they were faced with the most spectacular view. All complaints of fatigue and being tired instantly vanished once they bore witness to the incredible beauty from the mountain.

When they got to the summit, it was crowded with people – some Stell recognized from the hike up, and others he assumed had been there for much longer. He couldn’t blame them though, when he caught sight of the breathtaking view in front of him.

Beyond the crowd, he could see the horizon lined with clouds of varying shades of grey; they littered the light blue sky, bright and shining thanks to the peak of the sun right above their heads.

“Let’s go closer!” John Paulo urged, noticing the happy look on Stell's face.

Stell agreed, letting his boyfriend pull him closer to the edge so he could see the expanse of land below. They were too far up to really make anything out but Stell could still see the patches of land and the beautiful farmfields surrounding the mountain.

The scenery was incredible and the air that fills our lungs was fresh, every turn their eyes took brought about gasps as they witnessed new sites that are now the familiar, the famous awe-inspiring backdrop of the mountain.

“Look Sejun! we can see everything,” he smiled, pulling John Paulo closer to his side.

“I know,” John Paulo responded amusedly.

“Where’s tatay and kuya? I want to take a picture!” Stell cried turning his head around to search through the crowd, but his eyes landed on a different sight and he got distracted halfway through his search. “Oh! Look, there’s a good spot there,” he waved enthusiastically, tugging John Paulo's hand in the direction of an opening with a particularly nice view behind it.

“I thought you wanted to find your dad and your brother first?” John Paulo reminded.

“In a bit, in a bit..” Stell waved off, contradicting his earlier statement. “Sejun, please take a picture of me?” he asked, handing his phone to John Paulo before he could even respond. As if John Paulo was going to say anything other than ‘yes’ anyway. He took the phone and open the camera.

“You have to take good ones!” Stell reminded. “Make sure to press down on the screen to lock in on my face so it’s not blurry.” he added, teasing his boyfriend who rarely take selfies.

“Yeah, yeah, I know how to take a picture.” John Paulo rolled his eyes. But he was smiling because Stell looked so happy and proud that they had made it all the way up. John Paulo grinned back, mirroring the look of content on his face.

He couldn’t help himself when he pressed the camera button one too many times, revelling in the way Stell looked with his hair catching the light of the sun above them, slightly windblown from the breeze and his face, shining pink from happiness as much as exertion.

“Are you done?” Stell frowned, and John Paulo captured another picture because he looked too fucking cute for John Paulo to let an opportunity like that go to waste.

“No it’s blurry, stay still.” John Paulo lied. Stell pouted but then went back to posing with the mountainous horizon behind him. John Paulo snorted when his poses became increasingly sillier, but he let himself take all the pictures all the same.

“Sejun come on, I’ll just get kuya to take pictures if you’re going to be so bad at them.” Stell frowned, finally moving away from his spot to take the phone out of John Paulo's hand. His jaw dropped at the sight of his camera roll, filled with perfectly good photos. “Oh my god Sejun, why’d you keep telling me they looked bad?”

“You like them?” John Paulo smiled.

“Yes!” Stell agreed.

“Me too. All of them. You looked too good to just pick a few moments.”

“You can’t just say things like that!” Stell whined, throwing his hands around John Paulo's neck and pulling him in for a crushing hug, if only so he could hide his growing embarrassment in John Paulo's neck.

“I knew I heard Stell's whining,” Kuya Jayson teased, making Stell pull away. “And I see he already got you to take a million pictures of him, haha!” he added, pointing to Stell's unlocked phone.

“I didn’t ask for all of them,” Stell insisted. He turned to give John Paulo a wicked grin before adding, “He took them because I looked so good he couldn’t stop. Ow! Sejun that hurt!” Stell pouted when John Paulo punched his arm.

“That’s the last time I ever compliment you.” John Paulo huffed half-heartedly.

“No fair – Tatay tell him that’s not fair!” Stell said childishly.

His father shook his head in amusement but ignored Stell's protests. “Have you been up here for long?”

“No, we got here about five minutes ago.” John Paulo admitted. “There are a couple of good spots around the bend. We can take pictures there.” he continued.

Stell perked up at the mention of taking pictures, his previous frown forgotten. His father led the way and when they arrived at their destination, Stell's eyes went impossibly wide. “Whoa, it looks like we’re even higher from here!'” he admired, leaning over as far as he could go without the feeling of falling catching up to him.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” his father asked. Stell smiled and John Paulo couldn’t help but admire how much Stell was loved by everyone, when he saw his father pat his hair affectionately.

“You’ll take a picture with me, right?” he asked his dad.

“Of course.” he nodded.

“Good! let’s take a selfie,” Stell beamed. “You have to throw your hands up like this. Make a peace sign tatay.. it’s cute.” Stell insisted.

For such an important man whose reputation was built on his unwavering strength and power, he really could only succumb to Stell's charm.

“He’s so ridiculous,” Kuya Jayson sighed from next to John Paulo. He had his arms folded across his chest and was watching Stell guide their father’s hand to the pose he wanted.

“He just gets unbelievably excited about the smallest things.” John Paulo agreed. He was watching Stell with admiration, and once Stell was done taking pictures with his dad, he beamed in John Paulo's direction.

No one objected to Stell's whims, least of all John Paulo who was just happy taking in the sight of Stell's unbelievably ecstatic face. His cheeks were permanently tinted pink from the delight and it made John Paulo want to kiss the colour away.

John Paulo took a picture of the trio, and although he insisted that he didn’t need to be a part of their group picture, Stell denied the sentiment and went off in search of someone who could take a photo of the four of them together.

He was happy, standing between Stell and Tito Jun, but when the kind lady taking their photo put up her hands to count down the seconds, his face unbelievably widened at the feeling of Tito Jun’s arm wrapped around his.

When Stell was satisfied and had pulled them all to every single good location for taking photos he could find, he handed his phone back to Kuya Jayson one last time. “Kuya please take a picture of Sejun and I,” he insisted.

“We already took a bunch of photos together.” John Paulo reminded.

“I want a cute one though,” Stell protested.

“I don’t even know what that means,” Kuya Jayson laughed.

“Me neither,” John Paulo admitted. Stell shot him a withering look in response.

“Give the phone here Jayson,” Tito Jun instructed. Jayson shrugged and handed Stell's phone over. “That’s a nice spot over there. The sun will be in front of you so the picture will come out well,” he explained.

Stell beamed and followed his father to where he wanted him to stand. He beckoned John Paulo over to his side and took John Paulo's arm to wrap around his waist when he was standing next to him.

The two mound of mismatched rocks, varying shades of brown and grey on either side of them made the spot look like it was made for taking pictures. It probably was considering the manmade pile, but they were stacked naturally enough that they looked like they belonged. The rocks made it to their waists, and around them was a scattering of small pinkish-purple flowers, too hindered by the cold winds to really grow, but somehow managing to make it up slightly past the ground anyway.

“John Paulo,” Stell's father called.

John Paulo's attention was snapped from taking in their surroundings to the man who had spoken to him. “Po?”

“Move in closer,” Tito Jun chuckled. “You look like you’re trying too hard.” he smiled gently.

Stell hid his laughter behind his palm, while John Paulo's face lit up profusely. He nodded his consent and loosened his shoulders, tugging Stell so that their hips were side by side without an inch of space between them. Stell immediately moved his hand to wrap around John Paulo's waist, letting his fingers fall loosely on John Paulo's hip. John Paulo mirrored his action, placing his own hand on Stell's hip

“Now smile!” Tito Jun lifted his hand up, counting down from five.

John Paulo didn’t know what got into him but he glanced to the side and noticed Stell's beaming face gazing ahead at the camera. He looked so ecstatic and beautiful, like he belonged up there on the mountain because of how extraordinarily breathtaking he was. His teeth were flashing wide and sincere, his hair was windswept and his cheeks were flushed pink.

John Paulo turned his head and leaned his face in so his nose brushed Stell's cheek, mesmerized by the sight.

He felt Stell shiver beneath the touch, mouth falling from a smile into a surprised ‘o’. But before he even had the chance to ask John Paulo what he was doing, John Paulo whispered just loud enough for Stell to hear, “I love you.”

“Sejun!” Stell turning his head around to face John Paulo. He knew he had told John Paulo to tell him at the top of the summit, but he hadn’t actually been serious about. At hearing the declaration, his face had gone impossibly redder, but he was glowing and his eyes were shining, reflecting the sunlight above them.

“There,” Stell's father announced, bringing their attention back towards him. He extended the hand holding Stell's phone out towards them.

“What?!” Stell cried. “You took the picture? I wasn’t even ready, I probably looked terrible!” he pouted.

“It looks nice. I took two actually.” Tito Jun handed the phone back to him for him to check the photos out. John Paulo peered over Stell's shoulder to look at them too, and hopefully take the phone out of Stell's hand in case he decided to delete them.

He had nothing to worry about though because Stell's thumb hovered nowhere near the trashcan symbol.

Stell felt his heart soar at the sight of the first picture, with John Paulo's face pressed to his cheek, his mouth slightly open, mid-way through saying something – Stell's own face was pink and faintly agape, shock filling his eyes at the unexpectedness of John Paulo's sentiment. The sky was varying shades of light blue, the colours heightened by the sun shining brightly and it made the blush on their faces stick out even more. He couldn’t help but admit that he had wanted a cute picture, and that picture was definitely cute.

The second photo made him impossibly happier – the one taken after Stell had turned his head to scold John Paulo for ruining their pose. He noticed the way John Paulo was smiling at him, earnest and open and despite his embarrassment, Stell returned the look wholeheartedly.

He honestly couldn’t believe his father had taken both photos and deemed them nice.

“Do you like them?” Stell smiled sunnily at John Paulo through the question.

“I do,” he nodded, even though he was embarrassed at seeing the position they were in from a third party perspective. “Cute,” he added, making Stell's face light up ridiculously brighter.

“Thank you tatay.” Stell hugged his father tightly.

Tito Jun ruffled Stell's hair affectionately. “You’re welcome. Now, are you satisfied with your pictures or do you want to stay up here longer?”

Stell grinned cheekily. “We can head back down now.” he agreed.

They decided to rest a bit before making their way down which would be a lot easier than the uphill climb. But Stell hadn’t stopped bouncing around since the moment they made it to the top and even if he didn’t notice it, he would definitely feel the effects of putting so much pressure on his knees later.

“Please send them to me when we have signal.” John Paulo prompted.

“The pictures?” Stell asked thoughtfully.

“Yeah.” John Paulo smiled.

“Okay.” Stell agreed easily. They were walking a few paces behind his father and brother, just like they had been on their climb up. Stell liked it better this way so he could hold John Paulo's hand and not have to worry about the embarrassment deterring either of them.

But after the two pictures his father had taken, Stell wasn’t sure anyone really cared about the public display of affection anymore. Still, he enjoyed the small bit of privacy between them.

“Thanks Sejun,” Stell said cheerfully, squeezing John Paulo's hand between his own along with the words.

“For what?” John Paulo asked amusedly.

“For keeping your promise about coming here during the summer break, for inviting my family here with us, for making me feel like the most special person in the world,” he listed off. “For loving me.” he added cheerfully.

“You don’t have to thank me for that.” John Paulo insisted, face flushing at the honesty.

“I do,” Stell nodded. “I’ve never had anyone else do something like this for me before, care about me this much before.” he admitted.

John Paulo pulled Stell's hand to tug him closer, and leaned his face in to kiss Stell's cheek briefly. “You’re pretty fucking amazing, you know that?” he said honestly.

The sun was past its peak and although it wasn’t setting just quite yet, it was starting to dip below the horizon. The weather had grown chillier, even though they were slowly making their way closer to the ground and it made Stell shiver, as much from the temperature as from John Paulo's words.

“I love you Sejun.” Stell smiled, leaning his head into the crook of John Paulo's neck.

It made them slow down their pace slightly, compromised by their legs knocking into one another every few seconds but in that moment, Stell wanted nothing more than for time to freeze.

“Me too.” John Paulo replied easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 💕 comments would be lovely 😊


	27. Coffee Prince Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NC-17 / R-18 chapter !!!
> 
> enjoy (^3^)/
> 
> comment would be lovely ヽ(●´ε｀●)ノ

It had been a week and half since Stell had been back home and he was bored out of his fucking mind. 

It wasn’t even like he didn’t have anything to do: he had been keeping busy between visiting various family members; taking Lemuel to his sumer dance workshops and practicing with him when his nephew wasn't at the program or doing advance summer lessons; as well as volunteering at Lemuel's dance club; going back to his old high school to visit his juniors and help out there whenever he could. 

Still, without John Paulo's presence, Stell found life a little dull. He had gotten accustomed to having some physical aspect of John Paulo in his life – however brief it was – every day. And now that they had a distance separating them, Stell realized that he would never have lasted a whole month without seeing his boyfriend. It was like he was trying to convince himself that he was capable of before the break had started. 

They had spoken to one another on the phone often enough that Stell shouldn’t have been feeling lonely. But the last time John Paulo called him had been two nights ago while he was out with Cullen and Felip from the sounds in the background, as well as some other people. It sounded like the call was accidental though, or not completely intentional from the way John Paulo's words were slurred and half of what he said didn’t even make sense. 

He had also hung up pretty quickly, apologizing half-heartedly before laughing at something someone else had said to him. Stell wasn’t annoyed about the drunk call… he was more so jealous that John Paulo was having fun without him. 

But that was a terrible thought to have, and the moment it crossed Stell's mind, he felt guilt wash over him and settle deep within his stomach. It didn’t help that John Paulo hadn’t called him since, which just made all sorts of unrealistic flood his brain. 

“Justin, I’m a terrible person.” Stell complained, throwing his head back against the couch. His legs were brought up to his chest; he was a little uncomfortable with his long legs tucked too close to his torso, but Stell couldn’t really care to fix his position. 

“I know, but what did you do now?” Justin asked, nudging Stell's arm and placing a glass of cold lemonade in his hand.

At least being back home meant he had some people to hang out with… even if those people happened to be Justin and Ken who made Stell feel like a third wheel. Not intentionally of course, and under other circumstances, Stell would find them cute. But he was bitter about not having his boyfriend within walking distance. 

Today though, Ken was out on a day trip with his parents and Justin had asked if Stell wanted to hang out. They had initially planned on going to the market that was still attracting tourists even though fiesta was over. But it was too hot outside, so they decided to wait until nightfall when the weather cooled down a bit. In the late afternoon sun, there wasn’t much to do other than bask in the cool comfort of an air conditioned home. 

“You’re not supposed to agree with me,” Stell frowned. “And I didn’t do anything,” he wrinkled his nose in the sourness of his drink. “I just miss Sejun,” he admitted, hiding his flush in the glass he brought to his lips. 

He hated how desperate and whiny the confession made him sound, but if he couldn’t admit how he felt to one of his closest friends, then who else was going to hear him out? 

Justin chuckled nudging Stell aside to sit on the couch next to him. “You’re allowed to miss him, you know.” he smiled. 

“But I feels like I’m being clingy,” Stell admitted. “I wanted to call him yesterday but he sounded pretty drunk the night before. So I figured he was hungover and I decided against it. Then I got all pissed because he didn’t called me.” Stell sighed, gulping down the cool liquid.

“Hmm, well at least you’re being honest,” Justin shrugged as Stell finishes the glass off quickly.   
He placed the empty glass on the coffee table and turned the tv on, flipping through the channels aimlessly. There was nothing good on, so he settled on a black and white animation of an old Western movie he had no interest in, but left running so that it provided some background noise. Stell didn’t like when it was too quiet, and with the house empty considering Justin's parents were at work it was painfully silent. 

“We can watch something else,” Justin laughed, noticing Stell's frown. 

“That’s fine, I didn’t want to watch anything anyway,” he shrugged. Stell handed the tv remote over to Justin in case he wanted to watch something specific. But Justin just placed the remote next to Stell's empty glass on the coffee table, ignoring the tv as well. 

“I miss him~” Stell complained. 

“So you’ve said,” Justin chuckled. “Isn’t John Paulo coming to visit you next week?” 

“Yes,” Stell frowned. “But that’s next week!” he emphasized. 

“You can manage that.” Justin rolled his eyes. 

“Easy for you to say. You get to see your boyfriend basically every day!” Stell countered. 

“Alright, fair enough,” Justin admitted, knowing he wasn’t going to win against Stell with that argument. “But instead of complaining to me, why don’t you just call John Paulo? I’m sure he misses you too.” Justin reasoned. 

Stell chewed his bottom lip hesitantly. “How do you know?” 

Justin gave him a deadpan look. “Didn’t you say he told you he loved you?” he raised his hands disbelievingly. 

“So?” Stell questioned, unsure where Justin was going with his question. 

“So, if he says he loves you then he probably means it. And if he means it then he misses you too, you dumbass,” Justin chided, nudging Stell's shoulder with his own lightly. “Call him and talk to him. You’re just mad he was drunk without you considering how handsy he gets.” Justin teased knowingly.

Stell flushed at being caught out. “I take back what I said earlier. I’m not a terrible person – you are!” he huffed but he was smiling, mood having improved slightly. 

“Don’t worry. I’m sure the only person he wanted to touch when tipsy was still you.” Justin added.

“I wasn’t worried about that, thank you very much?” Stell snapped. 

“Now now,” Justin quipped unhelpfully. 

“Remind me again why I agreed to hang out with you?” 

“Because I’m a wonderful presence to be around.” Justin said easily. 

“Sure,” Stell rolled his eyes. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Justin laughed but didn’t fight it. As much as Stell missed John Paulo, he did enjoy hanging out with his friends. Being back home was nice and not having any responsibilities was also nice. Thankfully they had enough people staying for summer school during the break or staffs living near enough to Coffee Prince, that both Justin and Stell were allowed to take the entire month and half away from work. 

“We’re still going down to the market tonight?” Stell asked, standing up. 

“Yeah, wait, where are you going?” Justin frowned. 

“Well, you said to call Sejun so…” Stell trailed off. 

“I didn’t mean now.” Justin glared playfully. 

“Too bad,” Stell shrugged. “I’m going to do it before I chicken out.” he laughed. 

Justin shook his head silently, an amused smile playing on his lips. “I can’t believe that you only came here to complain and eat my food. You’ve been spending too much time with JP.” he tutted. 

Stell grinned. “Don’t let Charles hear you say that. He’s gotten even more protective of JP since they started dating, if that’s even possible.” he reminded. 

“It’s kind of cute though,” Justin smirked. 

“It is,” Stell agreed. He was happy that things were going well for JP and Charles despite JP's worries. He bent down slightly to pick up his empty glass. “Chat me when you want to go and I’ll meet you there.” Stell promised, standing back up. 

“You better not ditch me for Sejun!” Justin warned. 

“Hmm, maybe then you’ll finally know what it’s like to not have your boyfriend around all the time,” Stell teased. “I’m kidding.. I won’t leave you hanging!” he added at the menacing look Justin threw in his direction.

“Whatever silly,” he said affectionately. “Go enjoy your talk with Sejun.” 

Stell flashed Justin a peace sign in greeting. He passed by the kitchen on his way out, dropping the dirty glass in the sink before changing out of his slippers and into his shoes. 

Justin's house wasn’t that far away from Stell's - only about a twenty minute bike ride. But the summer was hot and Stell hated being out in the sun if only because he burned too easily. 

He could almost hear John Paulo making fun of him for wanting to bring his sweaters back now. As much as Stell hated to admit, his boyfriend was right. This was always a hot month no matter where you were in the country. He had definitely over packed, considering he hadn’t even touched his bag of sweaters, but he wasn’t going to let John Paulo know that. 

At least the ride from Justin's house to his own house wasn’t very far. Still when Stell got home he felt the tip of his nose and cheeks start to burn with that familiar sting. 

Stell:  
I think I got sunburned (;*△*;) 

He plopped down on the couch, back against the cushions and legs dangling off the arms uncaringly because no one else was home to chide him. He took a picture of his face, hair sprawled across the couch cushions to send with the message. He would have been embarrassed to let anyone other than John Paulo see him in this state considering how dishevelled he looked. 

John Paulo's reply was almost instantaneous. 

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
Wtf? Weren’t you wearing sunscreen? 

Stell:  
ofc I was !!! I can’t help that my skin is so sensitive you know 

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
Put some aloe vera on it or ice it if you don’t have any before it gets worse.

Stell smiled at the concern. He could practically hear John Paulo's voice as he read the text in his head. 

Stell:  
but it’s too hot to move~ besides I’m already feeling better bc of Sejun's words ! (*^▽^*) 

Stell:  
see ?? 

He attached another picture to the message, this time with his tongue sticking out, eyes closed in happiness, hand held up to cup his face. 

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
You’re so embarrassing omg!

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
And it looks the exact same as the first picture. 

Stell:  
but now I blessed you w/ 2 pics of my beautiful face so you should be thanking me not complaining (●♡∀♡) 

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
Yeah, yeah <3 You home? 

Stell:  
yep !! 

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
Can I call you instead? 

Stell's heart stuttered in his chest. He had come home with the intention of calling John Paulo but had figured he could ease into it through text chats first. Admittedly, he had still been nervous because although John Paulo told him that he’d miss him, Stell was a little self-conscious about becoming too dependent. Now that John Paulo had asked to call him though, his worries had been soothed. 

He must have taken too long to answer because John Paulo sent another message. 

Sejunbb 👉♥👈:  
Sorry, you don’t have to if you’re busy.

Instead of answering, Stell pressed the dial button on John Paulo's contact information. 

“Hey,” John Paulo answered, picking up immediately. The smile made Stell's own face break out into a wide grin. 

“Hi Sejun!!,” Stell breathed out nervously. He didn’t know why he was getting worked up calling his boyfriend. But something about John Paulo's voice always made Stell feel breathless and tingly. 

“How’s the burn?” he asked. 

“You haven’t talked to me for almost three days, not counting that brief drunk call two nights ago and that’s the first thing you ask me?” Stell laughed. 

“I’m worried, you dipshit, what’s wrong with that?” he growled. Stell could almost see the telltale blush on his face. His concern really was endearing. 

He chuckled at the retort, picking himself off the couch and heading upstairs to his bedroom. It was cooler there with a mini fan, anyway. 

“And sorry about that – Felip and Cullen were kind of egging me on and then I didn’t know what to say once I did call you, so I hung up pretty quick.” he apologized. 

“Well, you did tell me I was cute so I guess I can forgive you.” Stell teased. 

“No I didn’t!” John Paulo denied. 

“You don’t remember?” Stell laughed. That had been the only good thing about John Paulo's call. Still, his brief happiness at hearing John Paulo's compliment was forgotten when he realized how much fun John Paulo was having without him, if the loud music and happy screaming in the background was anything to go by. 

“Ugh!!” John Paulo groaned. 

“Don’t worry, that’s as far as the incriminating words went. You left me hanging pretty quickly there,” Stell reassured. 

“I’m so sorry, fuck. I’m never letting Cullen pick out the order of drinks again.” he grumbled. 

Stell chuckled in response. “Sounds like you had fun though,” he hummed absentmindedly, heart thudding in his chest. 

He made sure the window in his room was closed considering the air conditioning was on, before setting his fan up to blow air in the direction of his bed as well. He flopped back against his sheets, letting his legs dangle off the side of the bed while the cool air blew in the direction of his face. 

“Yeah, except the massive hangover I had yesterday wasn’t so fun.” John Paulo admitted. 

“Oh well, you’re only young once. Soon enough you’ll be an old man and you won’t even be able to drink.” Stell mused. 

“I’m only a year than you,” John Paulo deadpanned. 

“A year and three months,” Stell corrected.

“You’re such a shit,” John Paulo laughed. “Why do I even like you?” he asked jokingly. 

“You don’t..” Stell said seriously. He almost felt bad with the way John Paulo fell silent. 

“What? Stell –” 

“You love me?” Stell cut him off, smiling smugly. 

“Fuck, I walked straight into that one,” John Paulo cursed. Stell hid his blush in his pillow, muffling his laughter in it as well. “Oi, stop laughing!” John Paulo chided. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Stell apologized sheepishly. “Anyway, what have you been up to besides getting drunk and nursing a hangover these past few days?” Stell asked, changing the subject. 

“Not much,” John Paulo laughed. “I saw some of my old friends from university last night. It wasn’t anything exciting but we went out for a quick dinner and caught up with one another. I’m supposed to go into work with my mom sometime this week and say ‘hello’ to everyone who has been asking about me, apparently.” 

“Sounds fun,” Stell smiled. 

“Not really,” John Paulo chuckled. “I didn’t realize how boring in the countryside was until I got to experience the city.” he admitted. 

“Maybe you’re just bored without me.” Stell teased. The words were out of his mouth before he could even think about them. But John Paulo didn’t give him a chance to regret what he said. 

“Yeah, probably,” he replied sincerely, voice low. “I miss you.” he added, making Stell's throat go dry. 

“M– me too.” Stell said shakily. 

“Hmm,” John Paulo hummed absentmindedly. “You home alone?” he asked suddenly. 

“Yeah,” Stell agreed. 

“Good. Want me to tell you just how much I miss you?” he asked huskily. 

Stell knew where this was going before John Paulo even explained himself. Not that he even had to explain himself. 

“Sejun,” Stell said slowly. “You– you’re not really going to, are you?” he chuckled nervously. 

“Not what? Tell you how hard I was just thinking about your pretty face and your pretty lips. How good they feel all over my body, but especially wrapped around my cock. I couldn’t sleep last night so I thought about that until I came so hard I was exhausted.” 

“Fuck,” Stell breathed out slowly. He was definitely turned on now. He quickly unbuttoned his shorts and shucked them off the bed, lowering his boxers down over his ass as well. “You missed me that much?” Stell asked, voice somewhere between teasing and awestruck. 

“Hmm,” he agreed. 

“You’ll get to see me in a week,” Stell continued. He placed the phone on speaker next to his ear, using one hand to pull his shirt up enough to expose his stomach while the other hand lazily stroked his hardening dick. 

“Yeah.” 

Stell almost forgot what he asked when he heard John Paulo's raspy voice. 

“Tell me what you want to do when you’re here,” he prompted. 

John Paulo chuckled breathily. “I want to take you out.” he started.

“You’re really bad at this,” Stell smiled. 

“And you’re still touching yourself,” John Paulo replied. 

“Fuck you,” Stell stuttered. He didn’t deny the accusation though, mostly because he didn’t think John Paulo cared what Stell was doing at the moment. 

“I will, if you let me finish,” he answered cheekily. 

“Where do you want to go?” Stell asked, ignoring the way his hand tightened around himself. He pushed his hand further up his chest, pretending like it was John Paulo touching him instead. With his boyfriend’s voice speaking in his ear, it was easy to convince himself that he was. 

“I don’t fucking care,” John Paulo said honestly. “Anywhere you can dress up. Fuck, you look so sexy in a white suit.” he groaned. 

Stell lifted himself off the bed to search through his nightstand briefly before finding the bottle of lube he was looking for. He lay back on the bed, opening the bottle and squeezing the liquid onto his fingers. 

“We can go to this restaurant on the beach if you want. It’s fancy enough for a suit and you get an ocean view throughout dinner,” Stell smiled, rubbing his fingers together quietly. When he was satisfied with the lack of friction between them, he reached down and ran his fingers around his rim teasingly, because that’s what John Paulo always did. 

“You think I’ll be looking outside when I can look at you?” John Paulo asked. “God, you’re beautiful.” 

“Sejun..” Stell whined, slipping a finger into himself. He let out a shaky breath that didn’t go unnoticed by John Paulo. 

“Shit, Stell, are you fingering yourself?” he asked shakily. 

“Hmm, but I wish it was you instead,” he answered honestly, slipping a second finger in and moaning halfway through the statement. He didn’t mind doing it to himself. But John Paulo was so much better at it and as much as Stell complained about the teasing, he actually liked it. When he touched himself, he couldn’t exactly hold out. 

“I wish it was me instead as well,” John Paulo answered. “But I like fucking you with my tongue so much better.” he continued.

Stell closed his eyes and pressed his fingers deeper into himself with one hand while the other continued to stroke lazily along his length. 

“Who says I’ll let you?” Stell teased. As if that was ever the question. Both he and John Paulo knew that Stell wouldn’t say ‘no.’ 

“Come on Stell, you’ll beg me to,” John Paulo said knowingly. “I wonder what you’d look like in virgin killer sweater, pants shed somewhere off to side, hands tied down with your own tie while I eat you out.” he mused. 

“Oh my god!” Stell moaned. He curled his fingers against himself, now thinking what it would feel like for them to be John Paulo's tongue instead. 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” The gasp Stell let out at the question was enough indication of his answer. “You’re so loud though, we’d have to find a way to make you quiet down. What do you want? My fingers in your mouth or a gag?” John Paulo asked, like he was asking Stell to decide between flavours of ice cream. 

Fuck, Stell took back his earlier statement. John Paulo wasn’t bad at this at all. 

“Sejun, please, I’m so close.” Stell whined. “Tell me you’ll fuck me.” 

“Only when you’ve already come once with my tongue,” John Paulo answered honestly. “I’ll fuck you while you’re still half-dressed. It’ll be so good you won’t even need me to touch you. You can come on my cock alone, can’t you baby?” he asked roughly. 

“Yes, yes,” Stell whined. He was three fingers in now, rubbing them along his walls obscenely. When he found his prostate, he curled his fingers, crying out, unembarrassed and unfiltered into the phone. 

“Just like that,” John Paulo continued. “Keep hitting that spot and don’t touch yourself otherwise. Imagine me pounding into you over and over again in the same way. I’ll make you come in no time.” 

Stell's hand stuttered around his length, but he slowly unwrapped his hand from it. He let his fingers inside him rub and glide along his walls alone, pressing deeply against his prostate more times than he thought he could handle. 

“I’m – I’m going to come,” Stell answered honestly. 

“Me too,” John Paulo said quietly. “I want to come together.” 

“Yes,” Stell said immediately. He didn’t think he could handle fingering himself any longer. His cock was lying hard and leaking against his stomach.

“Shit, Stellvester, I can almost feel you squeezing around me. You’re always so fucking perfect, taking me in all the way.” 

“John Paulo, please,” Stell whined, feeling his stomach coil – ready to burst at any moment. 

“You can come,” he whispered so quietly, that if Stell's ear hadn’t been right by the phone, he would have missed the words. 

As soon as the words were out of John Paulo's mouth, Stell felt his orgasm take over. He couldn’t believe how hard he was coming, and he would have been embarrassed by the sounds he was making as he fingered himself through his release if it wasn’t for John Paulo's encouragement on the other end of the line. Stell was egged on by his little grunts and praises and the sound of John Paulo's own release hitting him. 

When he was done, pulling his fingers out of himself, wincing slightly at the change but otherwise feeling sated. John Paulo was quiet on the other end. And if it wasn’t for the soft breathing Stell heard, he would have thought that John Paulo had hung up on him. 

This definitely was not how he had been expecting his phone call to go, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. 

“Sejun, can’t you come here tomorrow instead of next week?” Stell chuckled breathily. 

John Paulo chortled in response. “I wish,” he answered truthfully. “I miss you.” he said again, making Stell's face light up.

“Or you just miss my body,” he teased. 

“Well, yeah,” John Paulo laughed. “But I miss you more.” he continued. 

“Really? What do you miss about me?” he asked, sitting up and reaching for a box of tissues to clean himself off with. His entire body felt sticky and with the fan blowing cold air on him, the cum on his stomach was quickly drying. But Stell couldn’t care for a shower right then. He just wanted to hear John Paulo's voice, and not even because he was complimenting him. 

“Your smile, your whining, your hilarious jokes,” he listed off. Stell's face pulled up into a lopsided grin. 

“That’s it?” he joked. 

“I also miss your pout – the one you make when you don’t get your way. It makes me want to kiss you so badly,” he admitted. “I miss your laugh, the way your eyes light up when you’re excited about something. Hell, I even miss your terrible taste in movies.” he laughed. 

“I don’t have terrible taste in movies!” Stell squawked.

“Of course that’s the only thing you got out of that,” John Paulo chuckled. “I miss holding your hands – they’re always so cold and I just want to warm them up. I miss the way you like to nuzzle your face against my chest, because it gives me an excuse to run my hands through your soft hair.” John Paulo admitted. 

“That’s not fair,” Stell complained, pulling on a clean pair of boxers and a t-shirt before lying back on his bed, properly this time. 

“What’s not fair?” 

“You can’t just tell me all these things and then make me wait a week to see you.” he huffed. 

John Paulo laughed loudly. “You’re the one who wanted to know what I missed about you,” he retorted. “I also miss that. The way you get embarrassed when someone genuinely compliments you. You’re beautiful and so perfect.” he sighed. Stell wasn’t sure his heart could handle any more of John Paulo's kindness. 

“Ah, stop, stop! I get it you’re so in love with me,” he said embarrassedly.

“You’re a shit,” John Paulo laughed loudly. Stell wished he could see the dimples in John Paulo's cheeks that always appeared when he was happy. 

“I love you,” Stell smiled back in response. 

“Yeah, me too,” John Paulo responded sincerely. 

They were silent for a few minutes and Stell settled himself deeper into his bed, sighing into the pillow. He felt too happy and warm that it was making him sleepy. Apparently John Paulo was thinking the same thing too. 

“Hey, you didn’t fall asleep did you?” 

“Nah, I’m still here,” Stell smiled. “I can’t fall asleep anyway. I promised Justin that we’d go to the market tonight and it’s already 5 pm. He’ll kill me if I ditch him,” Stell laughed, knowing very well that Justin would not be pleased if Stell copped out on their time together like that. 

“Understandable,” John Paulo chuckled. 

“Keep talking to me Sejun,” Stell insisted. “I like listening to your voice and it’ll help me stay awake.” 

The last part was a lie. If anything, John Paulo's soothing voice would just make Stell feel calmer and bring him closer to a sleepy state. 

If John Paulo knew this, he didn’t point it out. Instead, he talked to Stell about what his hometown looked like, the things he wanted to show Stell when he visit, random bits of conversation he had with his friends and other things that made Stell smile for the sole reason that it was John Paulo who was telling him. 

At some point, he definitely fell asleep and when Justin ended up coming to his house to shake him awake, lecturing him about keeping his promises half-heartedly, Stell couldn’t find any reason to want to have changed the course of the afternoon. 

So maybe he was clingy and becoming way too attached. But John Paulo didn’t seem to mind, and.if anything, he was the same way. The realization put Stell in an irreplaceably good mood for the rest of the night and the rest of the week as well, making the time he had to spend without John Paulo go by a lot faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you google that specific sweater? haha!


	28. Coffee Prince Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy reading ヽ(●´ε｀●)ノ

John Paulo wasn’t really upset that Stell couldn’t be there to meet him at the bus station. He had apologized enough times for John Paulo to know that he really had wanted to be there, but Stell was a good person and an even better uncle. He never missed Lemuel's recitals, which happened to be on the very day and time that John Paulo's bus arrived in his hometown.

And although Stell had sounded incredibly conflicted when he spoke to John Paulo last night, John Paulo had been quick to dispel his worries. The last thing he needed was for Stell to miss Lemuel's recital to pick John Paulo up, when he was perfectly capable of finding his way to Stell's house himself.

That had been the plan, anyway. Stell had given John Paulo his address and the number for a cab after John Paulo had turned down Stell's offer to have his dad send someone to pick John Paulo up. He knew enough to be able to hail a taxi and follow directions, although it would be a little awkward to be in Stell's home alone for the first time.

But John Paulo quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind and opted to focus on the fact that he would be seeing Stell soon, which was obviously the most important part of the day.

He had prepared himself for it all, which was why when he stepped off the bus and headed towards the end of the terminal, he was surprised to see Ken waiting for him. At least, John Paulo assumed Ken was waiting for him because he waved and walked towards him the moment they noticed one another.

“Hey, let me grab one of those for you,” Ken offered, sliding a duffel bag off of John Paulo's shoulder and hooking it over his own.

“Thanks,” John Paulo said absentmindedly, racking his brain for information he may have forgotten. “Did Stell send you?”

“Nah, well, kind of.” Ken laughed. “He was complaining to Justin about how bad he felt for not being able to pick you up after making a big deal about finally being able to see you. So Justin suggested I pick you up instead. My dad’s home today so I got to borrow the car.” he smiled, twirling his car keys between his fingers.

“Thanks man.” John Paulo smiled. While he had been mentally prepared to handle getting to Stell's house on his own, John Paulo couldn’t deny that having Ken pick him up was a much better alternative.

He let Ken lead him to his car and placed his bags in the trunk before sliding into the passenger seat. Ken handed him a lunch box that John Paulo took amusedly.

“It’s from my mom,” he explained, rubbing the back of his neck embarrassedly. “When I told her that you were coming she insisted on making you lunch in case you were hungry. You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to.” Ken admitted.

“Nah, this is great. I haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast actually.” John Paulo admitted. He opened the box up to reveal neatly packed chicken lollipops, sunny side up and fried rice. “Smells good too.” he appreciated, digging in.

His bus had left his hometown at 6 am sharp, which hadn’t given him much of a chance to eat breakfast. His mom had packed him some meat loaf rice balls wrapped in seaweed sheets that had gone through pretty quickly the moment he even remembered that he was hungry when they had been forced to a bus stop. John Paulo had been so worried about getting on the wrong bus, considering he had two terminal changes to make. He didn’t really give much thought to his stomach until then.

“This isn’t out of your way, is it?” John Paulo asked hesitantly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ken waved off. When John Paulo gave him an unsure look, he chuckled before adding, “Hey, you might be here to see Stell but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see my friend.”

John Paulo flushed, humbled by the admission, but accepted the compliment. “Where are we going?” he asked, when he noticed Ken taking a different route than the one Stell had written down for him in the chance that he got lost.

Instead of a residential neighbourhood, they were driving along a quiet street, lined with parks and bus stops and the odd shopping center.

“The recreation center. I figured you might want to see Lemuel's performance, and probably Stell too.” Ken chuckled.

John Paulo nodded, thanking Ken for his thoughtfulness once again. The car ride wasn’t long but it was easy and familiar being able to talk to Ken. John Paulo had learned a little while ago that their friendship only started thanks to Stell's weird way of figuring out his name – which was cute on its own – but John Paulo was grateful for it all the same. Ken was a nice guy, smart too, which made it very easy to partner up with him on projects and study together as well.

They talked about how their vacation had been so far, and Ken gave John Paulo tips for things to do around while he was here, until the conversation lulled to a comfortable silence.

“So I heard that you confessed your love for Stell,” Ken teased, making John Paulo choke on his last mouthful of rice.

“Shit, does everyone know?” he groaned, wondering just how many people Stell had told. John Paulo supposed Stell had warned him, but he didn’t think his boyfriend had been serious about it when he said ‘I want everyone to know.’

“Don’t worry, I only found out because of Justin. Your secret’s safe.” Ken chuckled.

“You don’t think it was too soon?” John Paulo asked hesitantly.

Ken shook his head, giving John Paulo a reassuring smile briefly before turning his attention back to the road in front of him. “It’s been what? Four months? If you love him, then you love him.” he shrugged. “Stell lets you hang out with his friends, your friends,” Ken corrected. “He let you meet his parents and from what I can see, you’re not in any threat of being arrested so I suppose you made a good enough impression. He gets incredibly self-conscious about you and that’s the most he’s ever done for anyone. I think if you didn’t tell him you loved him, he would have gone a little crazy.” Ken admitted.

John Paulo swallowed around the lump in his throat that came with Ken's explanation.

“But just to be clear, you told him because you mean it, right?” Ken narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, of course.” John Paulo nodded eagerly. He wondered how many interrogations he was going to have to deal with and he figured he could count on one from Josh and JP as well the moment they got back to school. And maybe Justin while he was visiting. The thought was mildly comforting, if entirely frightening.

“Good,” Ken concluded. “You know, when I first met Stell, we were in high school and he was a complete dance freak. I couldn’t stand him because he was incredibly proud and had every right to be because he was good at what he did. But when his team lost that day, I realized he really was just human. He puts up a good front but he’s not as strong as he likes people to think he is. You know that, right?”

“I do,” John Paulo agreed. “No offense, but why are you telling me this?” John Paulo frowned.

“I may not have liked Stell at one point in my life, but he become a good friend. He’s fiercely loyal to those he cares about and in turn, we are to him as well. I’m just letting you know that.” Ken said slowly, letting the words sink in.

John Paulo found himself nodding along. “Duly noted.” he chuckled reluctantly.

Stell was right – Ken was scary when he wanted to be. But John Paulo was glad that Stell had people like that to look after him. He liked to think he was one of those people too, but it was reassuring to know that Stell had always had that kind of support. even without him.

He was silly as hell, but so very charming at the same time. His appeal was magnetic and John Paulo was grateful that there were other people out there who understood and appreciated everything Stell had to offer.

“I also heard you told him you loved him at the top of mountain.” Ken chuckled, breaking the slight tension in the car immediately.

John Paulo huffed a laugh, finishing off the lunch and placing the lid back on box. He settled it on his lap and shook his head at Ken's statement. “That’s a lie!”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Ken laughed. “I had to listen to Justin complain about how romantic that was, and how the way we said it to one another couldn’t compare. He insisted we do it again, properly, this time.” Ken shook his head.

“Yeah, no, I’m sure however you did it was much better than what really happened between Stell and I.” John Paulo chuckled nervously at the memory.

It was so like Stell to tell people that it happened a few hours later and in a different setting than it actually did. Not that John Paulo should have been surprised considering Stell had warned him that was exactly what he was going to say.

Ken gave him a deadpan look. “I’m not sure I want to know. Let’s go with what Stell told Justin.” he said, trying to hide his smile behind tight lips.

“I’m not sure I want to tell you.” John Paulo answered honestly, turning his head to fight off the blush he knew had made its way onto his cheeks.

Ken chuckled again but thankfully changed the subject. When they got to the recreation center, he let John Paulo out first, and said he would be back once he found a parking spot. John Paulo thanked him again and went off in search of the auditorium.

There wasn’t much searching to do however, because the familiar squeaking of shoes against the stage, the fast paced tempo and rhythmical beat, and the loud yelling in the form of cheers were enough to let John Paulo know which way he was supposed to be heading.

It was only a minor performance, so the auditorium wasn’t very full. John Paulo didn’t even have to look very far to find Stell, who was standing up in front, hands thrown up in the air and a shout on his lips.

John Paulo smiled at the sight of him – face pink from exerting himself with his cheering, hands waving about as he signalled something to Lemuel. He was wearing a pair of white shorts, and a teal t-shirt, one with an unfamiliar logo on it. But when John Paulo saw the dance troupe written along the sleeve, he figured it was from his old high school.

Stell was so cute and John Paulo was tempted to stand at the door and watch him for a few more moments. But the urge to hug him was stronger so he strode forward and wrapped his hand around Stell's waist, pulling him down to settle on the seats in the process.

“Wh– Sejun!” Stell exclaimed, pulling John Paulo into a tight hug as confusion dawned into realization. “What are you doing here?!” he tilted his head thoughtfully.

John Paulo wanted to kiss him for that doe-eyed look, but he refrained because of the curious looks thrown in their direction. He consented to unwrapping himself from Stell and holding his hand in his own instead, pulling it between their thighs and out of view.

“Saving you from getting kicked out,” John Paulo chuckled. “One judge looks pissed.”

Stell flushed at that. “I wasn’t going to get kicked out!” he huffed indignantly. “The judge is just fucking strict,” Stell complained, a little too loudly. The use of a curse word in a auditorium full of parents and children earned him more dirty looks.

“Calm down,” John Paulo soothed, running his thumb over the back of Stell's hand. “It looks like Lemuel's team is winning by a lot already. Don’t worry about it.” he smiled.

“I don’t like biased judges,” he pouted, but he didn’t argue any further than that.

With John Paulo by his side, he also didn’t stand up to shout as much as he might have, had he been alone. “What are you really doing here? I thought you were going to go to my house.” he asked again.

“Ken picked me up. He didn’t tell you?” John Paulo asked.

“Well, he said he might if he had access to a car. It was never certain but I’m glad you’re here.” Stell smiled, pulling John Paulo's hand closer.

“Yeah, me too,” John Paulo agreed, indulging Stell with the proximity. If only until Ken came back and they separated a little, for the sake of their friend and the beady-eyed parents throwing suspicion in their direction. John Paulo could understand – he had grown up in a small town after all – but it didn’t make things any easier.

The recital ended after four performances, with Lemuel's dance troupe winning special awards. But since it was a recreational program, they dance one more time for the fun of it. Stell huffed in annoyance the entire time but he didn’t look all the chuffed about it in the end. Lemuel seemed to be having fun, and from what John Paulo could see, that was the most important part about it all, to Stell.

“Tito Teytey, did you see how many awards we got?” Lemuel asked excitedly, jumping to run towards Stell the moment the program ended. “Ah, Tito Sejun! Did you get to see me dance too? I was cool, right? I’m gonna be an idol one day!” he declared proudly.

“You were awesome,” Stell agreed, ruffling his slightly sweaty hair. “Go get changed and grab your things so we can go home.”

“Teacher says we can stay behind and have dance games a little more. Tito Sejun, come practice with me, okay?” Lemuel asked.

When he was excited like this, John Paulo couldn’t help but think he looked a lot like Stell, with his vibrant brown eyes and happy expression.

“Uhm, I’m not wearing dance shoes,” he frowned.

“That’s okay, you’ve got running shoes on. Those are good enoughm” Lemuel declared, pulling John Paulo by the hand towards the stage before John Paulo even had the chance to decline. Not that he could, when Lemuel gave him the look he had come so used to giving in to, thanks to Stell.

“Only fifteen minutes! Then we have to go,” Stell reminded.

Lemuel nodded enthusiastically, immediately introducing John Paulo to his teammates as to not waste any time.

“Wow, I just went completely ignored,” Ken chuckled.

“Ah! shit! Sorry, that was so rude of me,” Stell apologized.

“I’m joking Stell.” Ken nudged Stell's shoulder with his own lightly, lifting the frown off his face.

“Don’t make me feel like a bad person Ken,” Stell whined, sitting back down with a pout.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Would giving you a ride home appease you?” he asked knowingly.

“Maybe,” Stell agreed haughtily, but he was smiling.

“Good, because I still have Sejun's bags in my car,” Ken admitted. He followed Stell's lead and sat back down as well.

“Thanks, by the way. For picking him up, and for bringing him here,” he smiled appreciatively.

“No problem,” Ken waved the recognition off.

“Although I feel like Lemuel's enjoying his company more than I am,” Stell chuckled, when Lemuel let out a surprised reaction at a random move from John Paulo. John Paulo looked embarrassed, if entirely proud and Lemuel handed a prop back to John Paulo for what looked like a second demonstration.

“Seems like you’re going to have to fight for his attention now,” Ken laughed, pointing to the group of young boys that had circled themselves around John Paulo at the sight of his silly dance. Stell couldn’t deny that it was a pretty adorable display though.

John Paulo looked flustered and a tad bit embarrassed if the blush on his face was anything to go by. But he also looked happy and he nodded at something someone said before moving back.

Stell knew that he had told Lemuel they would have to leave in fifteen minutes, but the way the hands of everyone around John Paulo shot up like they were asking for him to pick them made Stell realize that they’d probably be there a little longer.

Not that he was really complaining.

“Stellvester,” an annoyed voice called out to him, taking his attention off the stage and to the woman who was walking towards him with her hands on her hips and a severe frown etched into her unfriendly features.

“Oh, hello, Aling Joy,” Stell greeted breezily.

“Can you please ask your friend to leave the stage so that everyone can go home.” she said tetchily.

“I wasn’t aware that he was forcing anyone to stay. In fact, I’m certain the teacher is allowing it.” he responded seriously, trying and failing to keep his tone in check.

Stell could feel Ken's knowing stare, and he was aware of the other parents who had their sons still on the stage watching them as well. His father was well-known and Stell knew he wasn’t supposed to rise to the bait in the chance that he got his dad in trouble, but he couldn’t help it. Madam Joy was the most annoying person Stell had the misfortunate of meeting and her son sucked at dancing, even if he was a nice kid, given the parent he had to grow up with.

“Carl has practice at the private dance lessons I got for him and it’s clear your friend is just wasting his time,” she said pointedly.

Stell knew the way she said ‘private’ lesson was supposed to come off as impressive, but all it did was make him want to roll his eyes.

“Boyfriend,” he said seriously.

“Pardon?” she asked, eyebrows furrowed.

“You asked me to tell my friend to leave. He’s my boyfriend Ma'am Joy, or do you have a problem with that?” he asked sweetly, words laced with venom.

“Of course not,” she huffed. “I don’t like what you’re accusing me of. That’s no way to speak to your elders!” she narrowed her eyes.

“You’re right, I apologize Madam Joy,” Stell agreed, standing up and bowing his head slightly. “Let me just get him off the stage.” he smiled, trying his best not to frown at the obnoxious woman instead.

She seemed taken aback by Stell's willingness to agree without much of a fight. She nodded her head at the apology and waited for Stell to do as he was asked.

“Stell…” Ken called out warningly, knowing just what Madam Joy was capable of.

Stell flashed him a grin that was anything but comforting, before making his way to the stage and towards John Paulo who was in the middle of going through the arm movements.

“Hey, is it time to go?” John Paulo smiled when he saw Stell approaching. His face fell though when he saw the flash of anger flit across Stell's face.

Instead of answering, Stell grabbed the front of John Paulo's shirt and pulled him in for a kiss, pressing their lips together roughly. John Paulo seemed shocked but he didn’t fight it, dropping the prop that was in his hands in order to wrap his hands around Stell's back to steady him.

“What was that for?” John Paulo asked, flushed now that they had broken apart. The auditorium had suddenly turned too quiet and he knew that everyone was looking at them, especially the group of young boys circling them, heads cocked to the side curiously.

Stell narrowed his eyes but didn’t answer. He turned around, searching through the wide-eyed pre-teens for Lemuel's familiar face. “Come on, Lemuel, we’re going home.”

He must have sounded angry because Lemuel nodded and followed without a fight. Stell took Lemuel's hand in one of his and used the other to pull John Paulo off the court as well.

“Whoa Stell, slow down,” John Paulo tried to decrease Stell's pace to no avail.

“Have a good day Madam Joy,” Stell greeted brightly but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Sorry for taking up your time – I guess now you can have someone other than my boyfriend teach your son how to dance properly since he clearly needs the help.” he added, turning around before the woman could say something else.

“Tito Tey, you’re holding my hand too tightly.” Lemuel frowned.

Stell dropped his hand guiltily. “Sorry Lemuel,” he apologized. He moved to let go of John Paulo's hand as well. But John Paulo only tightened his grip, pulling Stell closer to him in the process.

“Yikes Stell, why’d you do that? You know she’s going to file a complaint and a public indecency charge,” Ken reminded. “You shouldn’t have risen to her bait.” he chided.

“I know!” Stell snapped angrily. At the pained look on Ken's face, he sobered up though. “I’m sorry for yelling at you.” he apologized sincerely. “I’m the bad person,” he sighed, slumping against John Paulo slightly.

“No, you’re not,” Lemuel insisted. “Papa says I’m not allowed to say anything mean to Madam Joy because she’s older than me. But you’re cool, not a bad person, for standing up for yourself,” Lemuel smiled. “I mean, kissing Tito Sejun in front of everyone was kind of gross but not because he’s a boy,” he added, making Stell laugh. “Kissing is just gross.” he wrinkled his nose in distaste.

“How would you know?” Stell teased, feeling a little better. “Thanks Lemuel,” Stell smiled, pulling his nephew into an affectionate, one-armed hug.

“So who was that?” John Paulo asked finally, once Stell had calmed down from his rage a little.

“A stupid bitch,” Stell responded peevishly. “Ah, sorry Lemuel, don’t tell your dad I said that.” he smiled sheepishly.

“Don’t worry, that’s what Tita Rose calls Madam Joy behind her back too.” Lemuel grinned, making the group burst out in laughter. “I need to change and go to the bathroom. Can I also grab a drink before we go home?” he asked, looking at Stell.

“I can take him,” Ken offered, he stuck his hand out, which Lemuel shook, beaming widely as Ken guide Lemuel towards the bathroom.

Once Lemuel and Ken were out of sight, John Paulo turned towards Stell and kissed him properly. Nothing like the rough, demanding kiss Stell had flung on him earlier. His was sweet, and slow, and made Stell want to melt into him. When they pulled apart, Stell's face was noticeably happier.

“Now are you going to tell me what that was really about?” John Paulo asked, brushing his thumb along Stell's cheek.

Stell frowned apologetically but nodded. “Madam Joy thinks that being gay is contagious,” he rolled his eyes. “She told Kuya Jayson not to let me bring Lemuel to the workshops because she didn’t want me near her son and all the other young boys. You can guess how kuya responded to that.” Stell laughed.

John Paulo smiled wryly at him in response. Kuya Jayson sure did like to tease his brother a lot, but the moment someone else said something bad about him, he wouldn’t stand for it.

“Obviously I didn’t stop coming. But one time, I brought Justin along to one of Lemuel's recitals and he got some solo dance parts so we both got really excited and hugged one another at the end. Madam Joy saw that and ended up complaining to my parents how it was inappropriate to let me ‘grope my accomplice’ in public. She swore I was touching his butt but don’t you think Ken or better yet Justin, would have killed me if I really did that?” Stell asked crossly.

“Accomplice? Seriously?” John Paulo asked, torn between anger and disbelief. “What does she think you are? A criminal?”

“Oh that’s not even the worst of it. You know how Ken said she would file a public indecency charge against me? Well she probably will considering she did that when my parents tried to dismiss her accusations the first time.” Stell sighed. “You’d think she’d give up knowing who my dad and my brother are but she’s convinced I’m in the wrong somehow.” he frowned.

“No you’re not,” John Paulo said immediately.

“I know,” Stell admitted. “I mean, it sucks to be made out to feel wrong but I know I’m not.” he reassured.

“Good,” John Paulo concluded, leaning up to kiss Stell again. “If I knew how terrible she was, I would have kissed you the moment I saw you in the auditorium,” John Paulo laughed, lightening the mood. “Or groped you inappropriately.” he teased.

“Don’t worry Lemuel has another workshop program the day before you leave,” Stell nodded decisively. “We can show her just how inappropriate we can be.” he grinned wickedly.

“Not too much though,” John Paulo chuckled. “We don’t want Lemuel getting kicked out from his group because of us.” he concluded.

Stell chuckled and nodded, feeling much happier than he had since they left the auditorium. He buried his head in John Paulo's chest and wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him in as close as he could. “I missed you,” Stell smiled against his chest.

“Me too,” John Paulo answered easily.

“I love you,” Stell continued, ducking down to press a kiss to the spot over John Paulo's heart.

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, heart stuttering at the affectionate action. “Me too.” he repeated wholeheartedly.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with Stell and Lemuel showing John Paulo around the neighbourhood. After Ken dropped them off at Stell's house and turned down his mom’s invitation to stay and have dinner, Stell showed John Paulo up to his room, where he had set up a mattress for him as per his parents’ request.

Although they both knew that the mattress wouldn’t be used. But it was nice to let his parents think it would be, even if the knowing look Tita Mylene sent them was any indication of what she really believed.

Once John Paulo had unpacked a little, showered and changed, Lemuel insisted on showing him the park. They passed by Kuya Jayson's house on the way home and John Paulo was introduced to his fiancée, Rina.

John Paulo learned that she and Kuya Jayson had been dating since high school, which he found was really cute. She was nice, definitely very smart, and as someone who wasn’t part of the Ajero family by blood, John Paulo found it incredibly easy to get along with her.

“You’ll come to our wedding, right?” Ate Rina asked John Paulo on their walk from her home back to Stell's parents’ where they were all invited to have dinner. He was slightly taken aback by the invitation and looked to Stell for help.

“Ate Rina, you’re so embarrassing,” Stell complained.

“Why?” she laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on breaking up. The wedding is planned out soon and I expect to see him there, alright?” she asked, pinching Stell's cheek affectionately.

“You heard her Sejun. You’re not allowed to break up with me,” Stell laughed.

“Shut up,” John Paulo blustered embarrassedly, but he squeezed Stell's fingers that were fitted between his gently in answer. No way had he once thought about that since they started dating.

“Yeah, no breaking up!” Lemuel echoed. “Do you know how many texts I got today of people inviting me over to their house? Everyone wants to be my friend now because they think Tito Sejun is my uncle.” Lemuel declared proudly.

“What? No way, I’m much cooler than Seiun,” Stell insisted. “And better dancer.”

“Definitely better dancer,” John Paulo replied absentmindedly, kissing Stell's cheek as he said so. “But not cooler, right Lemuel?”

“Of course!” Lemuel answered immediately, jumping up to give John Paulo a high-five.

“Don’t let the popularity inflate your ego,” Stell chided, bopping Lemuel's forehead lightly.

“You’re one to talk Stell,” Ate Rina laughed. “I remember when you were in high school, there was always a horde of girls waiting to walk you to school and then walk back home with you. And don’t even get me started on your dance competitions. You could barely hear the commentators over all the girls yelling ‘Stell~ I love you!’ or did you conveniently forget how you used to brag about the free lunches and massages they would offer you?” she reminded.

“You’re such an asshole, taking advantage of the kind girls like that,” John Paulo laughed, storing the new information in his head, to tease Stell with later.

“Hey, they wanted to help me out. How could I turn down their hospitality?” Stell retorted.

“Sure, hospitality,” Ate Rina rolled her eyes. “Although I suppose it would have broken their hearts more if they knew they couldn’t date you.” she winked.

“Why does everyone pick on me?” Stell complained weakly.

“Because you make it so easy,” John Paulo answered. “And because we love you.” he whispered in Stell's ear, loud enough for only him to hear. Stell's face lit up, pink flush rushing down from the tips of his ears, over the bridge of his nose, all the way down his neck.

He didn’t get a chance to retort though because his house came into view and Lemuel ran up the path, throwing the door open and yelling a loud greeting. The shout made Tita Mylene appear in the doorway and she ushered them in and quickly put them all to work on helping with dinner.

They waited for Kuya Jayson and Tito Jun to get home before they sat down to eat, which Stelp told John Paulo could sometimes go on for hours. But thankfully it was a quiet night at the police station and both came home right as dinner was finished cooking.

“I got an interesting call from Aling Joy while you were out today,” Tita Mylene started, making Stell drop his utensils on the table unceremoniously. He figured Madam Joy would complain about him but he hadn’t been expecting his mom to bring it up at dinner, in front of everyone. “I’ll take your reaction to mean that you did have an encounter with her.” his mom continued.

“Lola, she was really mean,” Lemuel defended. Stell patted Lemuel, who was sitting next to him, on the thigh lightly to quiet him down. He didn’t need Lemuel getting in trouble for him as well.

“What did she say?” Stell asked.

“That you insulted her, and her son, and that you acted very inappropriately in front of impressionable young children,” she quoted.

“Do you believe her?” Stell continued.

“About the insults? Yes. About acting inappropriately? Not really, after the last complaint we got from her,” Tita Mylene rolled her eyes. “But you know you’re not allowed to insult her or any other members of her family. That’s not how we raised you, Lester.”

“I know,” Stell admitted, looking down at his bowl sheepishly. He felt John Paulo run his thumb over the back of his hand encouragingly. “I’ll apologize to her for that, but not if she files another complaint about me.” Stell said defensively.

“Lester,” his father started. “You’ll apologize to her regardless. The complaint will get nowhere because it’s not true. But you will apologize because you were rude.” he said firmly.

“Lolo, that’s not fair. You know she’s always saying mean things about Tito Teytey,” Lemuel cut in. Stell sent him a glare signalling not to butt in. He could appreciate Lemuel wanting to stand up for him. But he had been rather rude which he would own up to… begrudgingly, but he would.

“That’s not an excuse,” Tito Jun continued. “Is it Lester?”

“No, tatay,” he responded firmly.

“Good,” he concluded. “Now, what exactly did you say to insult her son?”

“Something about how he’d be glad to get Tito Sejun off the stage so he could get to the extra dance lessons he needs since he sucks so badly,” Lemuel said proudly.

“Lemuel!” Stell hissed. But it didn’t seem like he had anything to worry about because his father laughed aloud, sending him a reassuring smile. And his sister Rose, shot him a quick thumbs up from across the table.

“That’s my son,” he said warmly. Stell beamed in response, earning him a half-hearted glare from Tita Mylene who sent a real one to his father.

“I can’t believe you scolded him then egged him on,” Kuya Jayson chuckled. “You’re just as bad as Stell is, tatay.”

“That’s why I’m the favourite,” Stell stuck his tongue out childishly.

“You still have to apologize,” his father reminded.

“Opo,” Stell said seriously.

“That Carl kid does suck at dancing though,” his father added as an afterthought, which earned him another glare from his wife. “Okay, okay, I’ll set a good example. No more insulting people or their children, understood?”

“Yes tatay,” came a chorus around the table from Stell, Kuya Jayson, Rose, and Rina.

“Lemuel?”

“Opo Lolo,” Lemuel confirmed.

“John Paulo?”

John Paulo looked startled at being addressed. He hadn’t realized he had been included in the conversation until the whole table was suddenly looking at him expectantly. “Uhm.. yes, sir,” he nodded quickly.

“Yes, what?” John Paulo heard Stell snicker from beside him, and he held back the familiar urge to glare at him.

“Yes po,” he repeated, remembering what had happened the last time he had called Stell's father ‘sir.’

“Pardon?”

John Paulo frowned. His face felt hot and flushed, and he was sure he looked akin to a tomato. “Yes Tito?” he repeated unsurely.

“Good,” Stell's father confirmed, patting John Paulo's back firmly. John Paulo wanted to bury his head in his hands, or maybe drop his face into the chicken soup in front of him and attempt to drown out his embarrassment.

“If it makes you feel better, they did the same thing to me,” Rina offered a grin from across the table.

The words were reassuring, but they made John Paulo flush harder.

“No fair, everyone stop embarrassing Sejun!!” Stell said seriously. John Paulo felt himself release the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding at that. “His face is too cute like this, and only I should be allowed to see that.” Stell added, making John Paulo let out an audible groan.

“Okay, that’s enough. I think we’ve embarrassed John Paulo enough for the entirety of his stay. Finish up dinner before it gets cold.” Tita Mylene chided, bringing everyone’s attention back to the meal in front of them, and thankfully away from John Paulo.

When dinner was over and John Paulo was ushered upstairs with Stell, John Paulo felt himself relax a little. He had spent four days with Stell's family only a few weeks ago, and while he knew they liked him, John Paulo still felt self-conscious around them.

“It’s still only 8 pm, do you want to watch a movie or– mmph,” Stell's eyes went wide at the feeling of John Paulo's lips against his and his fingers digging into his hips.

He had just closed the door, and had been about to suggest that they watch a movie or play a video game until they got sleepy. But he was more than happy spending the rest of the night kissing John Paulo as well.

“Ah – Sejun,” Stell giggled nervously when John Paulo moved his mouth away from Stell's lips to suck at his neck instead. He bit down at the junction between his neck and shoulder lightly making Stell roll his hips against John Paulo's.

“You’re going to have to pay for embarrassing me like that,” John Paulo teased between kisses, trailing his mouth over Stell's neck and across his collarbone.

“I don’t – hah,” Stell panted when John Paulo moved his hands from Stell's hips to under his t-shirt, letting his thumbs brush against his stomach.

“You don’t, what?” John Paulo prompted, bringing his mouth back to Stell's lips before he could answer. He licked a line across his bottom lip, coaxing Stell's mouth open with his tongue until he could slip it inside, exploring the expanse of heat that he hadn’t had the chance to in what felt like too long.

Stell fisted John Paulo's shirt with one hand, pulling him in as close as he could even though they were pressed up against one another with no more room between them, while the other hand weaved its way into John Paulo's dark hair.

When John Paulo's hands moved lower to slip into the waistband of his boxers, he felt Stell's breath hitch and swallowed the moan that came with it into his own mouth.

Stell writhed his hips against John Paulo's hands, but John Paulo kept his fingers placed firmly above his slowly hardening length, not giving Stell the touch he craved. He pulled away from John Paulo's mouth and frowned.

“That’s not nice,” Stell pouted.

“Who said anything about being nice?” John Paulo retorted, pressing open-mouthed kisses across Stell's jaw. He nipped at the skin, making Stell whine in frustration. He let his thumbs rub slow circles across Stell's pelvis, which only served to increase Stell irritation.

“Sejun is so mean to me,” Stell frowned, turning his head away from John Paulo's mouth. “You don’t see me for almost two weeks and this is how you treat me?” he huffed.

“What? You don’t like being teased?” John Paulo smirked, sucking against his bared neck.

“You’re the worst..” Stell said weakly, biting his lower lip to prevent himself from moaning too loudly. It didn’t seem like John Paulo needed his vocal encouragements though. He knew Stell well enough to know just what spots were his most sensitive weaknesses and he didn’t hold back from exploiting them.

Stell didn’t even care that his family was downstairs and that they’d definitely be able to see the marks John Paulo was leaving on him – too obvious to cover up. He may have been complaining about John Paulo's teasing, but he loved the way John Paulo touched him, whether it was with his hands or his mouth, no matter the place.

But Stell had enough of letting John Paulo appease him with short kisses. He used his hips to push himself off the door and walk John Paulo backwards, letting his boyfriend’s back hit his bed. Stell fell on top of him, kissing him deeply until John Paulo took hold of Stell's shirt and flipped them so he was the one straddling Stell instead.

“Oh, so now you don’t want to tease, huh?” Stell goaded when John Paulo pulled Stell's shirt half-way up his stomach and leaned down to trail kisses over his skin.

“Hmm.. says who?” John Paulo whispered, between kisses. Stell felt like his entire body was melting everywhere John Paulo touched him. But that made him crave the feeling even more.

Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to respond because he heard footsteps making their way up to the second floor and Stell was suddenly reminded that he hadn’t locked the door.

He scrambled into a sitting position, pushing John Paulo off to the side in the process. He tried his best to pull down his shirt, fix his hair, and cover up his uncomfortably half-hard dick straining through his pants before the door was thrown open.

“Oh good, you haven’t started the movie without me!!” Lemuel nodded, ignoring or maybe not noticing the strained expressions on Stell and John Paulo's faces.

“What are you doing here?” Stell frowned. “And it’s rude not to knock,” he reminded.

“Sorry,” Lemuel apologized sheepishly. “Tita Rose said you guys were watching Men in Black – you know that’s my favourite movie,” he frowned, closing the door behind him and settling himself on the bed between Stell and John Paulo.

Stell gave him a deadpan look. Of course his sister sent Lemuel up here. John Paulo looked sort of amused at the turn of events. And Stell couldn’t stay annoyed with Lemuel either. If he hadn’t shown up, someone else certainly would have.

“Seriously? Men In Black?” John Paulo asked, propping a few pillows against the wall and pushing himself back. “Don’t let Stell corrupt you with bad alien movies.” he laughed.

“Alien movies aren’t bad!” Stell huffed. He let John Paulo and Lemuel settle themselves on the bed while he got up to connect his laptop to the tv screen in his room. It seemed like watching a movie was inevitable now. “And just for that, I’m picking the movie tonight and you bet it’ll be about aliens.” Stell smirked.

“No way, it’s my turn to pick, remember?” John Paulo reminded. “We watched Pacific Rim the last time and you promised to take turns.”

“Yes, but you actually liked that one. Don’t lie, it was good!” Stell insisted.

“Well, I think that Tito Sejun should pick since he’s the guest.” Lemuel piped in.

Stell narrowed his eyes playfully at Lemuel before replying, “Traitor.” He gave in though. “Okay fine, what do you want to watch?”

“Godzilla,” John Paulo replied easily, smiling because he knew what Stell was going to say in response to his suggestion.

“We watched that the last time you picked!” Stell complained.

“But Lemuel wants to watch that, right?” John Paulo asked. Lemuel nodded eagerly, making Stell groan. He searched for the movie in his playlist since John Paulo had made him get it the first time they watched and begrudgingly put it on.

He didn’t have much to complain about though – even if the graphics were bad and the dialogue was even worse – when John Paulo patted the spot on his right for Stell to crawl into. He didn’t pay much attention to the first half of the movie, with John Paulo's hand around his waist, fingers slipping beneath his shirt to run across his hipbone idly.

And he knew he definitely didn’t pay attention to the second half, when he woke up the next morning, head resting against John Paulo's lap while his boyfriend was splayed across his bed, one arm supporting his own head while the other was wrapped protectively around Stell's waist. Lemuel was curled up between them, one leg firmly planted on the floor, while his hand clutched at Stell's shirt supportively.

They must have looked like an amusing sight, and if his slightly ajar bedroom door was anything to go by, Stell was certain he’d be presented with an unflattering photo when he made his way downstairs for breakfast.


	29. Coffee Prince Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have some fluff on a weekend~  
> enjoy reading!

The past two university summer breaks couldn’t compare to this one. Not even in the slightest. After having spent a week and half with Stell, John Paulo couldn’t believe he was admitting that he was a little bit disappointed that he was going back home. For someone who wasn’t used to being away from his hometown in general, that was strange. John Paulo even recognized the feeling as strange and yet he couldn’t shake the disappointment of leaving Stell behind, albeit for two days. 

It was unbelievable how Stell and his stupidly dorky charm had rubbed off on John Paulo to the point where he didn’t want to be away from him. Stell had been worried about becoming overbearing but if they had spent the entire summer break without seeing one another, John Paulo was certain he was the one who would have gone insane.

If he could have caught the bus back home and brought Stell along with him, he would have done it in a heartbeat. 

But Stell's parents insisted that Stell give John Paulo a few days to relax and Tita Grace insisted that he needed to come home and prepare the house like a good host. If only their parents knew that that was the last thing either of them wanted. 

Stell was happy to let him know that he’d miss him, even if it was just for two days. The night before John Paulo went back to home, they lay in Stell's bed, cuddled underneath two layers of blankets that was far too warm for the hot weather. But it didn’t matter – not when Stell was naked and pressed up against him, kissing him quietly and whispering even quieter about how he wanted to keep John Paulo there longer, or maybe go back early with him. 

John Paulo would never admit it but it was those tender moments with Stell that made him blush the hardest. He was exceptionally perfect and John Paulo didn’t know what made someone so beautiful fall in love with him. But he wouldn’t question it. Not when he didn’t hold a single doubt about Stell's affections. 

The realization though made it harder for John Paulo to leave the next morning, and even harder for him to spend the next two days, moping around the house when he was supposed to be cleaning. 

What, he needed to clean was beyond him though. Tita Grace like to keep the house impeccably spotless anyway, and it wasn’t like John Paulo had even been home much this school year. He had been sure to tidy up his room before he went to Stell's, and now that he was back, there wasn’t anything at all to do. 

So he spent the days looking up places that Stell might like to visit, or trying to remember things he did in his free time. Yet coming up short every single time he thought he had found something. For all his talk about things he wanted to do with Stell when he came here, John Paulo wasn’t doing a very good job of remembering. 

Take him to a baseball game? Did Stell even like baseball? Taking him to a volleyball game would have been better, but it was the off-season for all the professional leagues. He supposed he could have taken Stell to his old high school where his junior schoolmates were surely still busy for the upcoming summer programs. But that was so lame that the idea barely crossed his mind before he shut it down. 

Stell had done plenty to make his trip more than memorable. Hell, John Paulo would have been perfectly fine just spending his days at home with Stell. But there wasn’t a single day that they didn’t do something. Whether it was taking Lemuel to his workshops, practicing with Stell's nephew in the park, hiking up the mountain or going to the beach with Ken and Justin – Stell had always been sure to keep John Paulo occupied. 

He realized he was being a bit of a hypocrite because he had insisted that Stell didn’t need to go out of his way to do anything for him, especially while he was visiting. This had ended up in cancelled dinner plans on more than one occasion. But in John Paulo's unbiased opinion, the resulting cliffside stargazing dates had been a much better alternative. 

But even after having told Stell that he didn’t need him to plan something special, that was exactly what John Paulo found himself doing. All of Stell's plans were things they both enjoyed. They seemed so effortless but John Paulo still felt the unintentional pressure of his boyfriend’s thoughtfulness. 

He had woken up the morning that Stell's bus was due to arrive and he was a bit of a panic because he still had nothing to show Stell. He doubted that his boyfriend would make a big deal out of it, but it made John Paulo nervous. 

Tita Grace had gone off to work before John Paulo had gotten up for the day, which wasn’t an irregular occurrence. But considering his last resort was to ask her for advice on what to show Stell while he was here, John Paulo couldn’t help but groan. Although she had baked a fresh loaf of milk bread which she left on the kitchen counter, so John Paulo couldn’t be all that annoyed. It was sweet of his mom to have gone out of her way to bake it for him. 

But that didn’t make up for John Paulo's lack of planning. Maybe coming home only two days before Stell wasn’t enough time… but it was too late to think about that now. Something about showing Stell his hometown was just special, and it made him feel like a complete idiot. 

He knew Stell would like anything, but he didn’t want this visit to be good, he wanted it to be memorable. He wanted Stell to come back. If John Paulo was being honest with himself, the cause of his nerves lay in that thought. 

Stell's bus didn’t arrive till mid-afternoon, which gave him plenty of time to figure out something for them to do – maybe not for the entire week that he was here, but at least figure out how to spend the rest of the day. As long as he tackled one day at a time, John Paulo was certain he would manage it. 

Or so he thought. 

Four hours later: John Paulo had lost track of time, and had also come up with zero ideas. 

“Yo Paulo!” The voice of his friend from the front of his house caught John Paulo completely off guard. In his startled state, he shut the lid of his laptop down quickly and turned his body towards the living room entrance where Cullen and Felip stood with matching smug faces.

“What was that?” Felip asked, jerking his head towards the laptop that John Paulo had closed a little too quickly to be inconspicuous. 

“What?” he asked, hoping that they’d drop the subject if he feigned innocence. He never had been a good actor though, especially in the face of his best friends whom he had known since the beginning of high school. 

“Were you watching porn? You know that we won’t judge Paulo,” Cullen tried to say with a straight face, but the edge of his lips quirking up gave away his amusement. 

“I was not!” John Paulo growled, unsure why he was rising to their bait. He shoved his laptop down next to him on the couch, making Cullen and Felip all the more curious. They stepped into the living room and cornered John Paulo who was still sitting on the couch looking guilty. 

“He has a boyfriend now,” Cullen reminded Felip casually. “He doesn’t need to watch porn anymore – I bet he gets enough nudes.” he continued like John Paulo wasn’t right there – like they weren’t talking about him. 

John Paulo's deceiving mind flashed back to the night before when Stell had in fact sent him a video of a striptease and his face flushed at the memory. He tried to think of something else – anything else – but Cullen and Felip had already seen through his embarrassment. 

“See!! The way he’s blushing says enough.” Felip added. Cullen pinched his cheeks like he was observing John Paulo closely.

“What the fuck do you guys want?” John Paulo groaned. 

“Well, we were here to tell you that it’s 1:10 pm. And your boyfriend’s bus arrives at 1:30 pm, so you should probably move?” Cullen shrugged. “But now, I think I’m more curious about the contents on your laptop.” 

John Paulo froze at hearing the time repeated to him. He flicked his wrist up and almost groaned again when he caught sight of the time on his watch. So Cullen wasn’t just bullshitting him. He immediately scampered off the couch, grabbing his car keys and rushing to put on his shoes, repeating curses under his breath. 

This was a bad start. Stell might not tell him that he was upset that John Paulo forgot to pick him up. But he knew that his boyfriend would definitely be upset. And John Paulo couldn’t blame him because he had promised to be there on time. 

He rushed out of the house, not even bothering to lock it with Cullen and Felip still inside and turned on the car. His mother had left him the family car since his was still back at school, which was good considering it was bigger and he’d probably need it to fit all of Stell's bags. 

Only when he was about to shift gears and turn out of the driveway did he realize that he had forgotten his phone back in the house where it had been sitting in charge for two hours. Maybe that was probably how he lost track of the time anyway, considering Stell had been texting him all morning. He didn’t mind it, not when he got to see the ridiculously cute messages Stell texted him. But it also depleted his phone battery very quickly and distracted him from searching up attractions, of all things, to impress Stell with.

Before he could open the car door and go back into the house to get his phone however – how else was he supposed to call Stell and let him know that he was going to pick him up… just maybe a little later than planned – Cullen and Felip had hopped into the back. 

“Forgetting something?” Cullen asked, sliding over John Paulo's phone. He turned back to buckle his seatbelt and John Paulo didn’t have the energy, or the time, to argue that his friends leave. He resigned a sigh and pulled out of the driveway, hoping against all odds that his friends would stay quiet, but that was clearly too much to ask.

“So… what were you looking at if it wasn’t porn?” Felip asked two seconds after John Paulo had gotten onto the road. 

“For fuck’s sake! Felip, don’t distract me!” John Paulo grit out, hands gripping the steering wheel awfully tight. He felt like an asshole – no he was an asshole. An idiot too. He couldn’t believe he had gotten up early and still managed to lose track of the time. 

At this point though, admitting he was watching porn would have been easier than admitting that he was actually trying to look up places to take Stell that were romantic, because he’d never in a million years say that to his friends. They’d tease him mercilessly and John Paulo would never hear the end of it. 

“We know you have videos of Stell on your phone,” Cullen supplied. “Ow fuck! careful,” he chided when John Paulo braked a little too suddenly at a red light and his head went flying into the seat in front. 

“You went through my phone?!” He ignored the jibe about being careful. If his friends went through his phone, that was the least of their worries. 

“Of course not,” Felip denied.

“Stell told us,” Cullen supplied at John Paulo's questioning look. 

“He what?” 

“Don’t act like we’re not friends. We have a group chat you know,” Cullen smirked, watching the way John Paulo's eyebrows furrowed with each word. “That’s how we knew when his train was arriving since you don’t tell us anything when it comes to him. You’re a shit friend.” he added teasingly. 

“And a shit boyfriend,” Felip said unhelpfully. “You’re going to be late.” 

John Paulo suppressed the urge to groan again. He didn’t need his friends to tell him that. Suddenly though, the idea of being late and accidentally upsetting Stell was forgotten. He had more pressing things to worry about; like how his best friends had a group chat with his boyfriend and he wasn’t in it. 

It wasn’t that he felt excluded. He couldn’t care less about that. What he did care about though were the kinds of things being said about him. The three of them had no filter and each knew things about John Paulo that he didn’t want the other party knowing. 

“Don’t say another word or I’m stopping at the curb and hauling your asses out,” John Paulo threatened. 

Cullen and Felip seemed to take John Paulo's threat seriously. Or maybe they just had enough of teasing him and they shut up for the rest of the ride, thankfully. 

The station wasn’t that far from his house but by the time they parked and arrived, he was still twenty minutes late. The station was busy but John Paulo spotted Stell's tall head peeking out from above the crowd instantly. He looked kind of like a tourist, wearing a pair of khaki coloured linen shorts, a blue short-sleeved button down and black slip-ons. He was staring down through his sunglasses thoughtfully at something on his phone, mouth curved up into a small smile, which automatically put a grin on John Paulo's own face. 

John Paulo mentally prepared himself for some kind of taunt about being late. But the moment he tapped Stell on the shoulder and his boyfriend turned around, his lips stretched into a wide, sincere smile. He threw his hands around John Paulo's neck and squeezed tightly, threatening to cut off John Paulo's air supply. 

“I missed you,” he whispered, almost hesitantly, considering it had only been two days since they had last seen one another. 

“I missed you too,” John Paulo chuckled pulling Stell back so he could look at him properly. He seemed a little tired, most likely from the long bus ride – but otherwise fine and not at all upset. But he also looked good and John Paulo was immediately drawn to the stretch of Stell's long legs peeking out from right above his knees all the way down to his ankles. 

He must have stared at him for too long because Stell's mouth quirked up and he said a little too loudly to be considered private, “Don’t undress me with your eyes in public, Sejun.” 

“You’re such an asshole,” John Paulo huffed, looping an arm around Stell's neck and pulling him down. 

“Ow, ow, you big brute!” Stell complained, trying to fight off John Paulo's strong grip. But he was smiling up at John Paulo sincerely. And the look on his face had John Paulo softening his hold until Stell slipped out and placed a kiss to his cheek in retaliation. He could feel his face heating up, as if Stell's smug expression wasn’t enough to tell him that he looked visibly embarrassed. 

He looked over to the side where his friends were watching. Their equally amused expressions made John Paulo want to put Stell into a headlock again. But it also made him want to kiss him senseless until Stell was the one flushing and embarrassed. 

“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Cullen apologized once he and Felip had made their way over, deeming Stell and John Paulo's private reunion to be over. He extended a hand and grabbed Stell in a one-armed hug. 

“Yeah,” Felip agreed, moving in to greet Stell once Cullen was done. “It’s our fault for distracting him.”

John Paulo looked between his friends and Stell skeptically. Were they in on some kind of plot? He quickly dismissed the suspicions though when Stell smiled warmly at him again, shaking his head at the explanation. 

“Don’t worry about it,” he agreed. John Paulo was surprised he was taking this in stride. “I’ll just have Sejun cater to my every need to make up for it.” he added, flashing John Paulo a bright grin. Ah! there was the catch.

Despite himself, John Paulo's lips quirked up into a small smile. “Sure,” he agreed easily, bending down to pick up Stell's bags. “You hungry?” he asked, leading the way back to the car. 

With Stell staying until he and John Paulo were ready to go back to school, he had brought all the bags that he packed with him. John Paulo had convinced him to bring the number down to three, which was a challenge but he was pleasantly surprised when three bags were all that Stell had arrived with. 

“A little,” he agreed. “How are you guys?” he asked politely turning towards Cullen and Felip. 

“Good,” Felip answered. “Been enjoying the break. I can’t believe it’s almost over though.” he sighed. 

“I don’t know,” Stell shrugged. “I’m kind of excited to go back to school.” he smiled. 

“That’s because you have a boyfriend to be excited about,” Cullen reminded, making Stell blush slightly. He didn’t deny it though. And the way Stell's face heated up made John Paulo's turn a little pink as well. “Anyway, how’s our favourite friend been?” 

Stell beamed at the compliment. 

“Don’t inflate his ego!” John Paulo chided teasingly.

“Don’t be mean Sejun!” Stell squawked indignantly. 

“Yeah, Sejun,” Cullen and Felip repeated in sync. 

“Do you want me to leave you here without a ride?” John Paulo threatened. 

“Sorry Sejun!” they apologized together.

John Paulo felt his eye twitch but he decided to drop it. His friends could be dicks, but they also had his back and he supposed he still owed them for not telling Stell he just lost track of the time. 

“I’m good,” Stell said, answering Cullen's question. “A little excited because this is my first time here!” he admitted. The way he looked at John Paulo though, made John Paulo feel like his visit to the island for the first time wasn’t the only reason Stell was excited to be there. 

“You’ll love it here. Paulo has been planning your trip very carefully,” Felip smirked. So they had seen what he was looking up on his laptop.

Stell beamed brightly and John Paulo felt his throat go dry at the sight. Cullen and Felip were so dead the moment he got them alone. Screw being thankful to them for bailing him out of having almost forgotten to pick Stell up; now they owed him for digging him into a grave like that. 

“Let’s go out to eat!” Stell announced, cutting John Paulo's internal struggles off. “You, me, Cullen, and Felip.” he clarified, looking pleadingly at John Paulo. When he widened his already large, brown eyes at him like that, there wasn’t a chance in the world that John Paulo was going to say ‘no.’ 

“Yeah, okay,” he agreed, moving to the back of the car as Stell let out an excited yelp. John Paulo pulled open the trunk of the SUV and fit Stell's bags in the back while Stell, Cullen, and Felip discussed where to go out for lunch. 

When he got into the driver’s seat, the other three had already settled in. “We’re going to dampa!” Cullen declared. 

“Sure,” John Paulo agreed once again, acquiesced by Stell's presence. It wasn’t that far of a drive from the terminal. They could have honestly walked but everyone was already seated and buckled in. 

“You know, that’s where John Paulo had his first date.” Felip stated conversationally. 

“Fuck you guys!” John Paulo groaned. The fact that both of the idiots were sitting in the backseat made it a little harder for him to reach behind and punch either of them. But once they got out of the car, it was a completely different story. 

John Paulo looked over hesitantly at Stell who was sitting in the passenger seat in the front next to him, but he didn’t look annoyed, just… thoughtful. 

“What?” John Paulo asked nervously, not knowing what his boyfriend was thinking. 

Stell didn’t answer him for a few seconds, and John Paulo felt his palms start to sweat. “I want to go to all the places where Sejun ever had a date before.” he said after a while, speaking mostly to Cullen and Felip in the back through the rear-view mirror, expression firm and unyielding. 

“Done!” they agreed easily, not even questioning Stell's motives. 

“Why?” John Paulo sighed exasperatedly.

Were they trying to embarrass him? He knew it was a bad idea to let Cullen and Felip come along. He should have left them at the bus station. They would have been able to make it back home just fine if he had. 

“So that you can make new memories with me, duh?” Stell explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

John Paulo felt his face heat up at the declaration. The suggestion was oddly sweet if entirely Stell. John Paulo couldn’t deny that seeing Stell jealous was cute, the way his cheeks were flushed pink made the sight even better. He almost wished someone else was driving so he could take in that sight for longer than a mere few seconds. 

“That was so smooth!” Felip groaned, pressing his head back into the headrest, eyes closed in admiration. “Teach me Stell-senpai!” he added, making Stepp grin brightly. 

“You..” John Paulo said, pointing to Stell. “Don’t teach them anything. And you two,” he pointed to the back. “You’re not allowed to say anything else incriminating otherwise I will tell our juniors that the two pairs of boxers that are stuffed in the untouchable locker back in the high school change rooms belong to you two!” he threatened. 

“Fine, fine,” they conceded. Stell pouted a little even though he agreed; the petulant expression was replaced by a satisfied one though, as soon as John Paulo reached for Stell's hand and clasped it between his snugly for the rest of the drive. 

Lunch was a surprisingly relaxed event. John Paulo had expected Cullen and Felip to gang up on him and embarrass him further in front of Stell, but they were tame, for a lack of better words. They didn’t relent on the teasing but at least they kept the really embarrassing stories to themselves. 

Stell ate up all the new information, even going as far as to give Cullen and Felip new stories to add to their collection of things they could tease John Paulo with. He acted like he was annoyed with them but with Stell's hand brushing over his thigh under the table, he didn’t have much to complain about. 

When they were ready to pay, John Paulo told Stell he’d cover for him, which earned him a quick kiss to the cheek. “Sejun likes to show off his money,” Stell joked. John Paulo hit him upside the head lightly, but he wasn’t truly upset – if only because he knew Stell was simply teasing him, and his boyfriend hadn’t let John Paulo pay for a single thing when he was visiting him, so this was only fair. 

“He never shows off for us~” Cullen sighed.

“You two act like I’ve never taken you out,” John Paulo raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

“Two dates? Wow, I didn’t know you had that much game.” Stell laughed, squeezing John Paulo's hand between his tightly when that earned him a grumpy look. “I’m going to use the bathroom first. I’ll be right back.” Stell announced, letting go of John Paulo's hand and heading down a narrow path of stairs that lead to the restaurant bathroom. 

“The marina,” Cullen said once Stell was gone, leaning back in his seat. 

“What about the marina?” John Paulo questioned. 

“Take Stell there,” Felip clarified. “That’s what you were worried about, right? Not having something special to show him.” 

John Paulo's eyebrows furrowed further in thought.

“It’ll be better at night,” Felip continued. “You know how the canal lights up and there’s that grove of flowers right by the bridge before it leads off to the marina? You’re technically not supposed to be there that late. But I’ll ask my dad if he’ll make an exception for you.” he offered. 

“And,” Cullen said a little too happily to be considered anything less than suspicious. “It would be a good spot to do some confessing if you know what I mean.” he wiggled his thick eyebrows. 

John Paulo flushed, not really wanting to have this conversation but knowing there was no way he could get out of it. He looked to the stairs leading down to the bathroom to no avail – Stell still hadn’t come back yet. 

“I already told him,” he said quickly. 

“Excuse me?!” Cullen said abruptly. “I don’t think I heard you right. You better not have said that you already told your boyfriend you loved him and not even mentioned it to us!” he guffawed, looking wholly unimpressed. 

“Why would I have to tell you two?” he crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly. 

“Because we’re your best friends!!” Cullen continued. Felip nodded from next to him, suddenly standing up straight.

“Why does Felip look like he wants to kill you?” Stell asked brightly coming up behind John Paulo and slipping back into his seat. 

“What took you so long?” John Paulo asked, maybe a little too roughly. 

“I was gone for two minutes,” Stell protested indignantly. 

“Oi, don’t change the subject! You too, boy. Where has this love been hiding in our conversations, hmm?” Cullen asked bluntly. 

“Oh, is that what we’re talking about?” Stell chuckled. “I didn’t know Sejun didn’t tell you but.. I mean it was kind of cheesy how he said it after we had sex.” Stell sighed dramatically. 

Felip and Cullen burst into loud laughter while John Paulo buried his face in his palms. “What?” Stell asked innocently, trying to peel John Paulo's hands away. 

“I thought we were going with the ‘top of the mountain’ explanation?” John Paulo reminded. 

“You’re the one who kept insisting we not lie!” Stell frowned.

“You’re the one who told Justin otherwise.” John Paulo reminded pointedly. 

“Oh come on? Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed?” Stell said, lips teetering on the edge of a smile. “Sejun, I’m sorry,” Stell whispered, voice suddenly low and not at all suitable for the setting. He leaned in closer and brought his mouth to John Paulo's ear before adding, “I’ll make it up to you tonight, I promise.” 

Ah fuck. How was John Paulo ever supposed to keep a straight face when Stell spoke to him in that voice. 

“Okay, that’s enough you two,” Felip scolded, while Cullen mimed gagging. John Paulo glared in their direction, but the look wasn’t at all effective when he was smiling through it. 

“Come on,” John Paulo tugged Stell's hand, pulling him up so they could pay and leave. 

“My mom’s coming back late tonight,” John Paulo said quietly so that Cullen and Felip behind them couldn’t hear. They had exited the store and were on their way back to the car so John Paulo could take Stell home. Stell hadn’t complained, but he did look exhausted, which was expected considering the early train ride he had to catch. 

“Oh? And what does that mean for us?” Stell asked teasingly. 

“Whatever you want,” John Paulo said easily. “As long as you give me an encore of that video you sent the other day.” he grinned, pulling Stell's hand so that their shoulders bumped as they walked back. 

“Done!” Stell agreed. “Hey, where are you guys going?” he asked, turning around, noticing that Felip and Cullen were moving towards the crosswalk instead of the parking lot where John Paulo had parked his car. 

Felip grinned lazily. “Home, but we’ll take the cab. I think we’ve intruded on your time alone for long enough.” 

“You don’t have to do that!” Stell insisted. “Right, Sejun? They don’t have to do that?” he asked. 

John Paulo nodded. As much as he liked spending time with Stell, he also liked his friends. They got along well with Stell, who in turn got along well with them and even though the three of them together meant an onslaught of embarrassment for John Paulo, it was nice and familiar. It also gave him the chance to gaze unabashedly at Stell while he laughed at something Cullen or Felip said, eyes closed and teeth flashing with the action, and that was a kind of opportunity John Paulo never wanted to miss. 

“Stay,” he agreed. “Let me drive you home at least if you don’t want to come over.”

“Nah, it’s fine..” Cullen shook his head. “We’ll see you later this week.” he promised. He and Felip turned to cross before Cullen turned around and yelled, “I’ll text you about the marina, Paulo!” 

“Marina?” Stell tilted his head to the side questioningly. 

“Don’t worry about it.” John Paulo waved his hand dismissively. 

“Okay.” Stell nodded, slipping his hand out of John Paulo's to get into the car. John Paulo got in on the other side and immediately tugged Stell, pressing his lips firmly against Stell's. 

Stell"s eyes widened in surprise, but he soon melted into John Paulo's warm touch, breathing in the scent of John Paulo's wonderful cologne, moulding his lips against his boyfriend’s with ease. 

“What was that for?” Stell blinked back, surprised, when they pulled apart. 

“Nothing,” John Paulo shrugged. “I just missed you.” he admitted, face flushing for what seemed like the hundredth time in the hour and half since Stell's arrival. 

The admission brought a bubbling laughter out of Stell. He pulled his left hand up to cup John Paulo's jaw, tracing along the length of it slowly. “Love you,” he smiled, leaning in to press another slow kiss to John Paulo's lips. 

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed when they pulled back. “Yeah, me too.” 

Stell beamed at him sunnily at the declaration; as if there was ever a doubt that John Paulo would reply with anything other than assurance that he loved him too.

“Say, can we go home and nap? I woke up kind of early.” Stell chuckled. 

“I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time with you.” John Paulo grinned. His grin split into a laugh when Stell's face lit up, his high cheekbones turning an adorable shade of pink. John Paulo leaned in and kissed the blush, which made Stell close his eyes against the feeling. 

“You’re such a sap. Maybe I should have gone with the ‘top of the mountain’ version. Everyone would have believed it anyway.” he teased, moving away to buckle his seat. 

“Shut up, Shitvester.” John Paulo chuckled half-heartedly, feeling the effects of smiling so much around Stell seep into the aching around his jaw.

He wouldn’t have it any other way though. Stell was a dork, too competitive for his own good and entirely stubborn. But he made John Paulo unbelievably happy even when he was doing nothing but leaning his cheeks against his palm, elbow rested on the window of the car, while his other hand was entwined in John Paulo's comfortably. Even when he was humming nonsense tunes and tapping his foot softly against the floor of the car, smiling that lazy, comfortable smile that was reserved just for his happiest moments. 

He was fucking perfect and John Paulo would repeat the those three words over and over again, as long as Stell would let him.


	30. Coffee Prince Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got NC-17 / R-18 scenes !!
> 
> If in case you didn't noticed, I opened the comment box for those without account here. You could also DM me on twtter if you want! Also few chapters remaining!
> 
> Sorry this is getting long, this was supposed to be up to chapter 30 only but I'm having a hard time to think of a finale scene haha

Waking up next to John Paulo was becoming a regular occurrence in Stell's life. He couldn’t say that he minded it very much at all. John Paulo was warm, and he always smelled good even when he smelled slightly of sweat from the way Stell clung to him during the night.

He would have apologized, if it wasn’t for the fact that Stell knew just how much John Paulo liked it when they woke up with Stell snuggled against his chest and John Paulo's strong arms wrapped around his waist and back. Sometimes they’d wake up with Stell clinging to John Paulo's back, but that was only when it was too hot and Stell refused to sleep with the window open so John Paulo turned away to turn on the airconditioner and find some sort of release from the unbearable heat.

Other times, they’d wake up with Stell cocooned into a tight ball and John Paulo pressed up close to him, their legs intertwined in one another’s carelessly – the mess of blankets and sheets weaving between them.

Stell didn’t mind waking up like that – he actually really liked the feeling of John Paulo's protective arms around him, and John Paulo quite liked waking up like that as well. He often joked that it was only because it made John Paulo feel taller, which promptly earned him a light smack to the ass because Stell was teasing enough to make those comments with John Paulo's strong arms still wrapped around him.

Still, his favourite position to wake up in was the one where his ear was pressed up against John Paulo's chest so he could hear the soft thumping of his heartbeat, and John Paulo's thumb was smoothly brushing at the bare skin of his hipbones.

Stell was usually the early riser between the two, and he loved every moment of it because he got to stare at John Paulo's sleeping form unabashedly. But there was also something soft and soothing about the way John Paulo looked at him when he was the first to wake up.

That particular morning, it was John Paulo who had woken up first. He was turned to his side, head fitted in his palm, as he rested his right elbow on the pillow to hold him up. His left hand brushed the peaking skin of Stell's stomach where his shirt had ridden up during the night.

John Paulo dragged his thumb in slow, lazy circles across Stell's hipbone; both the touch and the warmth caused a shiver to run through Stell's body even though he was still half-asleep. The sound of John Paulo deep chuckling at the sight was what brought Stell closer to the land of the living.

He cracked open an eye, adjusting to the brightness in John Paulo's room. The curtains were a light shade of blue, and they made sleeping in almost impossible. Not that Stell was complaining, because waking up to the sight of John Paulo gazing at him sweetly was something Stell would never complain about.

“Morning,” Stell smiled, closing his eyes briefly as a yawn overtook him. He moved a hand to cover his open mouth, but John Paulo's left hand was on it immediately, bringing it down and lacing their fingers together now that he was awake.

“Morning,” John Paulo greeted, offering Stell a lazy smile, quite suitable for the setting.

The softness of the navy bedding they were sleeping on matched the softness of John Paulo's tone. It made Stell move in closer and snuggle his face into John Paulo's chest that much further.

“What time is it?” he asked, pressing a kiss to the spot over his heart. He felt John Paulo shiver above him and it put a satisfied smile on Stell's face.

“Quarter to eight.”

“Wow, you’ve been waking up early recently,” Stell laughed lightly. “I must be rubbing off on you.” he teased, smiling happily.

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t considering how much time we spend together,” he laughed, pushing Stell onto his back gently so he could roll over on top of him.

“Is that a complaint?” Stell asked knowingly.

“Of course not!” John Paulo responded without missing a beat. “Love you,” he said in warning before he pressed his lips against Stell's. They were barely touching, there was no ulterior motive other than to just kiss, and the thought left a warm, tingling feeling all throughout Stell's body.

“Uhh, we should brush our teeth and shower,” Stell sighed, moving his head to the side so that his cheek rested on the pillow. He hadn’t meant for John Paulo to take that as an invitation to continue kissing him. But with his neck bared like that, Stell supposed that maybe he had subconsciously done it anyway.

John Paulo hummed at the statement but otherwise didn’t move to do anything about it. Instead, he pressed his lips to the junction of Stell's neck and fluttered kisses all over the smooth skin. Stell tried not to let John Paulo leave marks in any visible spots but he had been touch-starved for two days, which wasn’t all that long in honesty but John Paulo spoiled him, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

So he did nothing when John Paulo lightly scraped his teeth over the skin, nipping at it occasionally before he moved on to a new spot.

Stell's hands found themselves weaved in between John Paulo's hair. He couldn’t help but moan weakly every time John Paulo's tongue darted out to lick a sore spot which just spurred John Paulo on further.

About fifteen minutes later, Stell was half-hard in his sweatpants and John Paulo looked way too delighted with Stell's rumpled appearance.

When he caught sight of what John Paulo had done to his neck in the bathroom mirror, Stell wanted to scold him. But he felt an odd sense of endearment when he pressed his thumb into the bruises and felt a pleasurable pain shoot through his spine.

“Too much?” John Paulo asked lightly, coming up to wrap his arms around Stell's waist and place his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. Stell could feel John Paulo's own growing erection and it made him feel a little smug to know that just a little bit of kissing and he could make his boyfriend feel that way.

“You think?” Stell asked sarcastically.

“Sorry,” John Paulo apologized, pressing a soft kiss to Stell's bare shoulder.

“No you’re not,” Stell chuckled.

John Paulo joined in, shaking his head and accidentally brushing his hair against Stell's cheek. “You’re right, I’m not. I don’t want people thinking you’re available.”

“You’re so possessive!” Stell laughed. “And I can’t believe I ever thought you weren’t into me?” he teased, earning him a wonderfully red blush from John Paulo.

“Shut up,” he mumbled weakly, pulling away from Stell so he could turn on the bathtub faucet instead.

Normally, Stell would have been fine with a shower – he might have even preferred it. But once he saw the size of the bathtub, he had been sold on taking a bath instead.

They really couldn’t let an opportunity like that go to waste, in Stell's opinion. The bathrooms in their apartments were tiny, especially on their student budgets. And while Stell's family home had a decent sized bathroom, it was nothing compared to what John Paulo had. The moment Stell's eyes landed on the jet streams poking out around the lower circumference of the bathtub, his eyes had gone impossibly wide.

John Paulo could do nothing to dissuade him after that because Stell was sure to put on his most endearing look, which always made John Paulo give in.

Stell discarded his pants while John Paulo fiddled with the buttons, since Stell had no idea what any of them did. It didn’t seem like John Paulo knew much about them either with the way his tongue was sticking out in concentration and his eyebrows were scrunched up furiously. The sight made Stell giggle but John Paulo was so busy figuring out how all the buttons worked, that he didn’t notice until Stell pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

“Did you just take a picture of me?!” he asked, face turned up towards Stell who was leaning against the bathroom counter, stark naked and very delighted.

“Maybe,” Stell shrugged, holding his arm out far above his head so that John Paulo couldn’t take his phone away.

“Delete it!” John Paulo groaned, coming over and putting pressure on Stell's shoulder until he relented his hold on his phone.

“No way, you look so cute! I won't send it to anyone, I swear. You’re still wearing pants so it’s not even provocative,” Stell protested. “I have more incriminating photos on here.” he reminded.

“Delete those too!!” John Paulo growled.

“Only if you delete the ones of me,” Stell smirked.

He watched John Paulo's face shift thoughtfully. Eventually, he grunted – a sign of defeat – and moved back to the bathtub, which was now full of warm, soapy water. Stell grinned victoriously and stepped in, his phone at a safe distance with the rest of his clothes piled near the door.

“I can’t believe you brought your phone into the bathroom. Who even does that?” John Paulo asked, stepping in after Stell, pulling Stell's back in towards his chest.

“Lots of people!” Stell defended. “I text you while I’m in the shower all the time!” He leaned further back and tossed some of the hot water streaming in from beneath him over his chest.

“Do you actually?” John Paulo sounded skeptical.

“Want me to prove it the next time?” Stell challenged.

“No, that’s okay,” John Paulo denied, reaching for the body wash and shower cloth. He wet the cloth and poured some fresh scented body wash onto it, nudging Stell forward so that he could create enough space to wash his back.

“So you don’t want to see pictures of me naked?” Stell squawked.

“That’s not what I said,” John Paulo shook his head, letting his hands trail up the length of Stell's spine softly as he scrubbed away. “I would just prefer to see it in person, that’s all.” he shrugged but it wasn’t as nonchalant as he made it out to be.

Stell whipped his head back just in time to see the flush creeping up John Paulo's neck and face before his boyfriend turned his head away.

“You’re so cute when you’re romantic,” Stell cooed, eyes sparkling at the fact that John Paulo was sweet enough to want Stell with him.

“Is that really romantic?” John Paulo asked embarrassedly.

“Of course!” Stell insisted. “Super romantic,” he nodded his head seriously. “Like telling your boyfriend you love him after sex in the back of a car kind of romantic” he teased.

John Paulo groaned, dropping his head back against the side of the tub. “Are you ever going to let that go?”

“Nope!” Stell responded brightly.

“I hate you!!” John Paulo grumbled.

“Oh, so you only love me when you want my body?” Stell quipped.

“W– what? You know that’s not true!” John Paulo said immediately, voice strained.

He stopped his explanation when Stell burst into laughter. His face was turned so John Paulo couldn’t see it, but the way his red ears were peaking out behind his hair, he knew that Stell was equally amused as embarrassed.

“You’re such a shit,” he huffed. “Just shut up and enjoy your stupid bath.” he grumbled, lathering the cloth with more soap as he moved on to Stell's arms.

“I’m sorry, I love you, please forgive me?” Stell asked poutily. John Paulo couldn’t tell if he was joking, but it looked like he was somewhere between sincerity and amusement so he shrugged and pressed a kiss to Stell's cheek, mumbling something about him staying still.

“Your house is nice,” Stell commented when it was his turn to scrub John Paulo.

With the summer heat, it was easy to build up sweat and grime, which often led to more than one shower a day. But in times like these where Stell could indulge, he couldn’t really complain. He liked running his fingers across John Paulo's back, dipping them between the ridges of his muscles, pressing down between them because it always made John Paulo groan – one of the most satisfying sounds to Stell's ears.

“Thanks,” John Paulo mumbled, doing his best not to let the way Stell was touching him arouse him further.

“It’s big, but not like too big, you know?” Stell asked, speaking more to himself than John Paulo. But his boyfriend hummed in acknowledgement all the same. “I thought you’d have maids running or something like that.” he laughed.

“I’m not that rich,” John Paulo rolled his eyes, feeling his face flush.

“Right, so just rich enough for your family to own four nice cars.” Stell teased. When he felt John Paulo's muscles tense beneath him, he pressed his fingers deeper, easing some of the tension away. “I’m just kidding, you know that, right?”

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, dropping his arms around the edge of the tub, slumping forward so that some of the ceramic could cool down the heat pooling in his stomach.

“You can tell me to stop,” Stell reminded gently.

“I don’t really care. I know you don’t mean anything by it,” John Paulo added.

“Hmm good,” Stell pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder, handing John Paulo the wash cloth for him to tend to his front.

They fell into a peaceful rhythm after that. John Paulo readjusted himself so he could lean back against the tub with Stell pressed up against his chest comfortably. Stell fiddled with all the setting in the bathtub, wholly enjoying the luxury, while John Paulo closed his eyes and basked in the proximity.

When both John Paulo and Stell were clean, the entire bathroom was foggy with heat. Stell felt like his fingers were going to fall off from how pruned they were because of the length of time they had spent sitting in the hot water, he nudged John Paulo gently.

It was nice, being close to him, being naked around him, and still getting to just touch and enjoy the feeling of John Paulo's hands without anything else.

“We should get out before we fall asleep in here.” he laughed lightly.

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, getting up and letting some of the water from his front drip over Stell's back. The way he failed miserably at hiding his amused snort was all the indication Stell needed that the action had been entirely on purpose.

“Sejun!” Stell scolded, but the reproach was weak, and when John Paulo swooped down to pull him up so he could press a kiss to his lips so deep that he felt his knees go weak. Stell forgot why he was even annoyed in the first place.

“Can we have milk bread for breakfast again?” he asked, feeling very refreshed, after he had dried off and was dressed in a pair of grey shorts and a blue t-shirt.

“Sure but you have to eat something else as well,” John Paulo replied, leading Stell down the circular, wooden stairs.

Stell had cooed when he first saw them and proceeded to run up and down the spiralling staircase enough times to make himself dizzy like a five-year old. John Paulo was just grateful that he didn’t fall and break something. Now that would have been a terrible start to their time together.

“But why? Tita Grace's milk bread is so good!” Stell clutched his chest for extra emphasis. “If I didn’t love you, I think I’d fall in love with it instead.” he continued, closing his eyes and letting out a deep, dramatic sigh.

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment,” replied John Paulo's mother from the kitchen island where she was perched with a mug of coffee and a half-filled plate of breakfast. Stell flushed when her smiling face came into view as they entered the kitchen.

“Ma,” John Paulo greeted. “I thought you were already at work. It’s almost 9:30 am?” he frowned, moving to set the table.

“Good morning Paulo, how nice it is to see you and want to have breakfast with you. I’m well this morning, thank you for asking,” she rolled her eyes.

“Hello tita,” Stell waved. He kissed her on the cheek and she returned the gesture, beaming when they pulled back. “Sorry I missed you last night. We fell asleep kind of early, exhaustion from the bus ride and all,” Stell chuckled.

“Likely story,” she laughed. “Did you make good use of the empty house?”

“Mama!!” John Paulo groaned, coming back and dragging Stell as far away from her as possible, as if the distance was going to stop his mother from tormenting them both.

She ignored him, turning her attention back to Stell. “Don’t let Paulo ruin your nice skin,” she chuckled, nodding her head in the direction of Stell's neck.

“Can you stop?” John Paulo asked, dragging Stell further away from the kitchen island where his mother was sitting on a bar stool and towards the kitchen table where he gently nudged at Stell's shoulder until he sat down.

Stell's face was impossibly red, one hand coming up to cover his neck. He should have put makeup on or something, but how was he supposed to know that Tita Grace was still in the house? John Paulo had insisted she left for work at 6:30 am every morning, but obviously something was different today.

Stell's eyes widened marginally at the thought that she might have heard them when they were taking a bath together. It was a blessing in disguise that they didn’t do anything more than that. But the idea that she was right downstairs while John Paulo and Stell were laughing and giggling away in the bathtub upstairs was more than just a little embarrassing.

“You never let me have any fun,” she tutted, moving to join them at the table. “With you gone this year, I’ve been a little lonely.” she sighed. The words hadn’t been meant to be depressing, but it still made John Paulo look sheepish and Stell's flush increase.

“You can hang out with us as much as you want,” Stell insisted. “And we can share stories about Sejun. I have tons of new embarrassing things he’s done for you to add to your collection.” he nodded. John Paulo kicked him under the table and Stell shot him a dirty look because that actually hurt.

John Paulo didn’t look apologetic, which Stell supposed he deserved, but he’d never admit it aloud.

“You’re sweet,” she laughed, moving a hand through Stell's hair affectionately. “But I’m sure you have things planned. And I do have to go to work eventually so I won’t intrude. I just wanted to greet you properly since I’ll more than likely be home late again. There’s some money on the counter so buy whatever you’d like for lunch and dinner.” she smiled, taking the left over piece of milk bread off her plate on her way out.

Stell beamed at the compliment and nodded his head seriously like he was following orders, which John Paulo was quick to notice. He didn’t hold back his snort once his mother had left with the promise to cook them dinner at some point during Stell's stay here.

“You’re such a suck up,” John Paulo chuckled, scooping out rice into a bowl for Stell.

“No I’m not,” Stell denied.

“You can hang out with us as much as you want,” John Paulo repeated, pitching his voice high in an attempt to sound whiny, which was nothing like how Stell sounded.

He glared at his boyfriend, punching him hard in the arm, which ended up hurting him more than it hurt John Paulo. But the look of shock on John Paulo's face was totally worth it.

“You’re so resentful to me, John Paulo!” he pouted, dragging out the syllables in John Paulo's given name in a voice that was far too sultry for the setting. Stell got his desire effect though when John Paulo gulped and his eyes turned dark. He moved his hand over Stell's thigh, running his calloused palm over the skin that was peaking out from beneath his shorts but Stell was quick to push his hand away.

“Nu-uh,” he shook his head. “Mean boyfriends don’t get to touch.” he said smugly, watching the way John Paulo face dropped.

He let out a frustrated groan. “Fine, how may I make it up to you?”

“Hmm,” Stell tucked his chin between his thumb and forefinger, as if he was thinking the question over seriously. “Let me decide what we do today!”

“That’s it? Done.” John Paulo said easily.

Stell smiled mischievously and John Paulo narrowed his eyes suspiciously, realizing that maybe Stell's request wasn’t as innocent as it had sounded. The way Stell kept beaming at him, too happily, just confirmed his suspicions.

When Stell had asked to be able to decide what they could do for the rest of the day, this certainly wasn’t what John Paulo had been expecting. At first, John Paulo thought that maybe he had gotten off easy because Stell said he wanted to explore the neighbourhood. So John Paulo had taken Stell down to his old high school, where some of the music and dance club members were practicing.

They ended up joining them, and of course Stell was popular amongst the club members right away, which was nice because it gave John Paulo a chance to talk with some of his juniors and catch up with them while Stell was busy teaching others his killer moves.

It was kind of scary how focused he got as soon as his feet touched the stage. John Paulo wished that he got to see Stell in a real competition. But it will just brought up bad memories for his boyfriend, so John Paulo never said a thing and kept those ‘what if’ scenarios to himself. He was content with being able to just see Stell's face light up and his eyes shine with determination when the tune started blasting.

It was also really fucking hot how powerful his dance was. Stell liked to point out John Paulo's muscle from lifting weights, but Stell's arm strength was surprisingly strong too. It turned him on too much to stare for too long since the last thing he wanted was to have a situation in front of his former junior schoolmates. Now that would have been awkward.

They ended up grabbing fried chicken and hotdogs from the convenient store on their way back from the school, both in need of another shower after playing in the club. But then Stell noticed the grocery store and dragged John Paulo in the direction of it instead.

He was so easily distracted, but it was just dinner that Stell wanted to cook. With his mom out late most nights, John Paulo was used to frozen dinners or takeout not that he really minded. But the thought of cooking with Stell was oddly sweet and he found himself agreeing to it as they shopped for ingredients.

He didn’t know what they’d make but Stell was dropping food items into the cart like no tomorrow. John Paulo didn’t have any reason to stop him, so they ended up walking home with too many grocery bags and a lot of complaining from Stell about the fact that John Paulo's house was at the very end of an uphill street.

Still, the day was relatively normal, which put John Paulo on edge. If the way Stell had been looking at him during breakfast was any indication, things weren’t going to stay normal for very long.

Stell showered first, so by the time John Paulo was done and had changed into a clean pair of clothes, Stell was already in the kitchen setting ingredients aside and searching the pantry for sauces to cook with.

“What do you want to make?” John Paulo asked, looking through the ingredients Stell had set out on the kitchen island.

“Curry rice,” Stell answered brightly.

“Japanese? Alright,” John Paulo shrugged. “Do you have a recipe?”

“Right here,” Stell answered, showing John Paulo his phone screen where a recipe for curry rice had been pulled up. John Paulo squinted at the tiny screen, eyes immediately landing on the time it would take to cook the meal.

“I swear you picked the hardest thing on purpose. Meat is so hard to get right.”

“It’s okay, we can play a game to pass the time! And you can make kani salad along the way as well. That’ll cut down the wait time.” he grinned.

“So what exactly are you going to do?”

“Make rice,” Stell flashed him a peace sign. He put the phone down on the counter and tossed John Paulo a purple daisy-printed apron before wearing a blue and white striped one himself. John Paulo caught the garment and regarded it with wary eyes, but gave in because what the heck, it was kind of cute he supposed.

“So basically when you said ‘Let’s cook together, Sejun’ what you meant was ‘I cook while you watch,’” John Paulo raised his eyebrows knowingly.

“Pretty much, yeah,” Stell laughed, not even bothering to try and hide his plot.

“Fine, you can be my assistant or something,” John Paulo agreed. “Pass me the pot.”

“Ooh, Sejun is getting into his chef mode, this is exciting!” Stell said impressively, turning around to hand John Paulo the pot to cook the meat in. Stell rested his elbow on the island and placed his head in his palm, watching John Paulo cook away.

The only sound for a while was that of running water and the gas stove flickering beneath the pot as the rice boiled. Then John Paulo cleared his throat and asked, “So what’s this game you wanted to play to pass the time?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Stell grinned, coming around to wrap his arms around John Paulo's waist. “You know, you’d make a great househusband,” Stell said offhandedly, pressing a quick kiss to the back of John Paulo's neck that flushed red at the comment.

“I’d like to remind you that I’m holding a knife,” John Paulo deadpanned.

“And I’d like to remind you that you love me,” Stell quipped.

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” John Paulo sighed. From his place behind John Paulo, Stell couldn’t quite see the smile on his boyfriend’s face, but he could definitely hear it in his voice.

“Never,” Stell whispered, squeezing his arms tighter around John Paulo's waist to prove his point.

“Come on, your game. It can’t be good so let’s get this over with,” John Paulo chuckled, placing the chopped carrots aside and moving on to the potatoes.

“Okay! I ask you questions about me, you answer them. And if you get it right, you can ask me a question about yourself,” he grinned.

“Aren’t we a little late for the ‘get to know me’ games?” John Paulo frowned.

“It’s not a get to know me game,” Stell shook his head. His nose brushed across John Paulo's exposed shoulders – Stell sure did love the fact that John Paulo liked wearing tank tops in the summer heat; it gave him more access to skin and a wicked view of his arms.

“That’s what it sounds like,” John Paulo retorted.

“It’s a how well does my boyfriend know me game!” Stell corrected. “And you haven’t asked me what happens if you get a question wrong,” he smiled into John Paulo's skin.

John Paulo swallowed, suddenly feeling like he was being set up for failure. He knew Stell wouldn’t do anything to make him feel bad on purpose. But his boyfriend sure did like teasing John Paulo – which was fine because John Paulo liked teasing him too. But somehow, he had a feeling that this game could lead to potential misunderstandings.

“What happens if one of us gets a question wrong?” Stell unlatched himself from John Paulo's back and tugged him around so that they were facing one another. John Paulo's back against the kitchen counter and Stell's against the island in the centre of the room.

“You have to remove one article of clothing but the apron comes off last,” Stell smiled, deviously sweet.

John Paulo already hated this. He could see the way Stell's eyes flashed competitively – the kind of glint he had only seen when he was talking about Keith or dance competitions. Losing wasn’t something Stell did often, but John Paulo would be damned if he made this easy on his boyfriend.

Besides, this was a fair enough game. He was confident that he knew Stell well. It had been almost five months since they met one another and he had faith in his memory.

“So basically strip poker but way less cool,” John Paulo offered, trying to hide his smile by biting his cheeks.

“Less cool?!” Stell guffawed, the offense obvious in his tone. “We’ll see what you have to say about it when we’re done.” Stell huffed indignantly.

“Alright, you first,” John Paulo agreed, smiling at Stell's miffed expression.

“Fine,” Stell agreed. “Favourite food?”

“Kare-kare,” John Paulo answered instantly. “I thought you’d go with something harder?” he laughed as Stell crinkled his nose – almost as if he was upset that John Paulo knew him if it interfered with him winning.

“Don’t count yourself lucky yet. I’m just trying to ease you into this,” he countered.

“Sure,” John Paulo agreed, turning around to finish chopping the onions and include it on to the meat so that it could cook. When Stell didn’t protest, he asked, “My turn, right?”

“Yeah,” Stell agreed, moving in to encircle John Paulo's waist once more.

“Favourite movie?”

“Donnie Darko. Too easy Sejun,” Stell smiled confidently. He slipped his hands between the empty spaces the apron created on his side and trailed his fingers over John Paulo's grey tank top. John Paulo felt warmth pool into his stomach, and he had to remind himself to focus on slicing the meat instead of Stell's wandering hands.

“Least favourite class?”

“Statistics,” John Paulo laughed, remembering Stell's various complaints about how easy that course was and how it was a waste of his time.

“You’re pretty good,” Stell chuckled.

“What? Did you expect me to fail?” John Paulo challenged. Stell shook his head, rubbing his cheek over John Paulo's neck. “Alright, name one of my favorite books?”

“Thief Lord,” Stell answered proudly.

John Paulo stalled the knife, putting it down next to the cutting board. He turned his head as much as he could to look Stell in the eyes while the other man continued to keep his hold on him. “How the fuck did you know that?”

“I have my resources, Sejun!” Stell smiled smugly. His resources being John Paulo's mom, but his boyfriend didn’t need to know that. They had only ever spoken to one another alone, that time they went shopping, but she had plenty to tell Stell about John Paulo, which Stell was sure was going to come in handy right then.

“You stalker,” John Paulo accused lightly.

“That was one time!” Stell defended, face heating up at past memories. “Now I won’t go easy on you anymore,” he huffed. Not that he had ever planned on going easy on John Paulo. Stell just needed to make him feel comfortable before he whipped out the hard questions.

“Sorry, sorry,” John Paulo apologized, not sounding very sorry at all.

“My favourite piece of clothing?” Stell asked, ignoring the apology.

John Paulo stalled, the laughter dying on his lips. He thought the question over, placing the sliced meat in a pot to cook while he did so. Once he turned the stove on and watched the oil heat up, he turned to face Stell who had moved away from him and was smiling confidently.

“Your blue cashmere sweater?” he asked hesitantly.

“Wrong,” Stell sing-songed. “It’s my beige cashmere sweater!” he grinned.

“Oh fuck you! I was so close, come on Stellvester,” he complained.

“Nope,” Stell closed his eyes and shook his head, ignoring the way his heart sped up at hearing the familiarity with which John Paulo said his name. “Take off your shorts!” he pointed down to John Paulo's legs.

“You’re not going to make me cook without pants on, are you?”

“You need to cough up the payment – don’t be so stingy, John Paulo.”

“Fine,” John Paulo huffed. He moved aside to wash his hands before undoing the button of his shorts and sliding them down. He felt oddly embarrassed with the way Stell was watching him. It wasn’t like John Paulo had never undressed in front of him before but something about the way Stell looked so gleeful had John Paulo feeling humble.

“I don’t know what you’re complaining about. There isn’t even really a difference,” Stell offered unhelpfully.

“The apron is open from the back,” John Paulo deadpanned. “Of course there’s a difference,” he rolled his eyes, moving to wash his hands again after he placed his shorts on the bar stool. “Quit staring!” he chided when Stell remained in his spot at the island that gave him a good vantage point to gaze at John Paulo's thighs and ass.

“I’m admiring,” he corrected.

“Whatever,” John Paulo muttered, trying to change the topic. “So do you get to ask another question or is it my turn now that I’ve taken the punishment?”

“Your turn~” Stell chirped happily.

“The name of my first teacher?” he asked, knowing that it was dirty to give Stell a hard question but his boyfriend didn’t play fair so neither would John Paulo.

“Teacher Mae,” Stell grinned. “The one who you called mama in front of the whole class and instead of crying like a normal five-year old, you dumped paint on the kids who made fun of you,” he recited.

“Fuck, my mom’s been telling you stories, hasn’t she?” John Paulo cursed.

“I can’t reveal my sources,” Stell teased.

“Bullshit. It’s my mom. Or was it Cullen and Felip? Next time I see them I’m going to kill them,” he seethed.

“Are you really that upset about this?” Stell asked seriously. “We can stop if you’d like,” he asked, lips twisting in worry.

John Paulo shook his head immediately. “No, of course not.” He turned around pressed a kiss to Stell's cheek. “I guess your competitiveness has rubbed off on me.”

“Don’t lie Sejun,” Stell chuckled. “You’ve always been competitive.” John Paulo shrugged noncommittally and Stell deemed that it was his turn to start asking questions again. They continued like that while the pork and vegetables cooked and by the time John Paulo was ready to add the seasoning, Stell had lost zero clothes and John Paulo was only wearing his boxers and the apron.

“The name of my first pet?”

“Godzilla, because it was a furry spider, which are monsters by the way. The first sport I ever tried?”

“Badminton. My most prized possession?”

“Your car, duh! First crush?”

“That ugly kid on your grade school volleyball team.”

“He wasn’t ugly! Rude! Tell me his name or you’re losing your boxers next.”

“Jonathan?” John Paulo asked hopefully. “Instrument I wish I could play?” he asked when Stell didn’t immediately jump on John Paulo to discard his boxers.

“Violin. Dream job?”

Their pace had gotten significantly faster, and John Paulo hated to admit itnbut it was kind of fun. Ignoring the fact that he was cooking in boxers, and an apron alone, it wasn’t so bad. He always did like talking with Stell and this was weirdly domestic but it made him happy.

“Business owner?”

“Nope.”

“Then what?” John Paulo frowned.

“Astronaut!”

“Oh my god, are you five?”

“Hey, don’t be mean Sejun. Now take off your boxers!” Stell grinned.

“Are you serious?” John Paulo flatlined.

“Dead serious.” 

John Paulo groaned but complied. Stell soaked the vegetables while he slid his boxers off. He figured he could at least be helpful, which John Paulo appreciated, because with him almost completely naked and Stell still fully dressed, he was starting to lose his patience.

He almost dropped the pot he was trying to take off the stove when Stell came up behind him and slapped his bare ass lovingly.

“Fuck,” John Paulo cursed.

“Your turn Sejun,” Stell said innocently, moving to wash his hands immediately afterwards.

“My favourite thing about you?” John Paulo asked, smirking when Stell's smile fell into a serious expression.

“That’s not fair,” Stell frowned.

“Why? Because you know you’ll get it wrong?”

Stell scoffed. “Confident are we? Okay, let’s see… hands?” he asked hopefully.

“Nope,” John Paulo grinned at finally having caught Stell in his own game. He supposed he shouldn’t have been so confident considering he was practically naked, a thin apron separating him from fucking Stell into the counter, but seeing Stell's thoughtful face was enough to brighten his mood.

“Wait, don’t tell me! Back?”

“Nope.”

“Face?”

“You’re beautiful, but nope,” he shook his head, revelling in the way Stell's face flushed a deep red.

“I swear if you say it’s my dick I’m going to punch you,” Stell glared.

“It’s not, but keep going. See if you can guess,” John Paulo smirked.

“Eyes?”

“No.”

“Legs?”

“Nice try.”

“Ugh, fine tell me,” Stell whined in defeat.

“Your shitty personality,” John Paulo smiled, moving in to kiss Stell before he could say something and ruin the moment.

“That is ridiculously sappy!!” Stell complained when they pulled back, but his face was pulled up into a stupidly sunny grin and he looked like the happiest person on Earth.

“And now, you got what? Six things wrong? You shorts, your boxers, your socks, your t-shirt, your apron and oh look, I still have one thing left to take off you so I guess now, you owe me,” John Paulo grinned, loving the way Stell blushed. John Paulo took a few steps towards him, and Stell moved back but was met with the edge of the island counter digging into his back

“Hey, you can’t just make up rules like that!” Stell stuttered, back bent and arms spread out on the flat surface behind him.

“Oh yeah? Who says I can’t? You kept guessing, which wasn’t part of the rules, so I think it’s only fair that I get to make something up as well,” he hummed, weaving his hands behind Stell's back and undoing the tie of his apron.

John Paulo tugged at the material, kissing Stell hard when his boyfriend yelped in protest. Eventually, Stell's arms moved from trying to push John Paulo away to wrapping around his shoulders and sliding down the length of his arms. He squeezed around John Paulo's biceps and pushed his lips back in an attempt to fight John Paulo for control of the lead.

John Paulo opened his mouth and let Stell's tongue sweep against his tongue as he busied his hands with the button of his shorts, sliding them down his legs easily.

“Sejun,” Stell said breathily, moving away to take in their situation. “Dinner’s ready,” he reminded.

“I know,” John Paulo smirked, tugging at Stell's shirt until it was discarded on the floor as well.

“We should eat,” Stell amended, but his hands never left John Paulo's arms. He was playing with the muscle, sliding his palms up and down the smooth skin, tracing the veins with the pads of his fingers.

“You sure about that?” John Paulo challenged, pressing his palm to Stell's erection that was becoming more and more evident.

“Y– yeah,” he managed to say, biting his lip to prevent a moan from spilling out instead.

“Alright,” John Paulo shrugged, dipping his hands into the waistband of Stell's boxers.

“What are you doing?” Stell questioned when John Paulo dropped down to his knees.

“Eating,” John Paulo replied easily, placing his hands on Stell's hips, motioning for him to turn around. “You out,” he finished. He grinned at the way Stell's flush spread down his lithe back, and John Paulo couldn’t help but slide up a little so he could trace the pattern with his tongue. Stell shivered beneath him which only spurred him on.

“This wasn’t what I meant,” Stell huffed, but he had stretched his arms across the counter and folded half his body over the grey and white marble.

“Hmm, doesn’t seem like you’re complaining to me,” John Paulo remarked slyly. Stell only huffed again which made John Paulo chuckle, but he soon brought his attention back to his task.

He teased the ring of muscle around Stell's hole with his tongue, circling it slowly until Stell muffled a moan above him. At the sound of Stell whimpering, he lapped at his entrance, slowly gliding his tongue across it until Stell's choked whimpers were uncensored sobs.

“Fuck, Sejun, are we actually doing this?” Stell cried out. John Paulo responded by dipping his tongue into Stell's entrance. He pulled back when he felt the twitching muscle tighten around him and eased it open further with one finger.

“Shit, Stellvester, you need to stop clenching,” John Paulo groaned. They had done this once last night, which wasn’t all that recently but it also wasn’t that long ago. And the feeling of Stell's muscles tightening around his fingers was driving him nuts, as the thought of how that would feel against his cock instead took over.

“Because I’m fucking paranoid,” Stell shot back over his shoulder.

John Paulo frowned but moved back, taking his fingers out of Stell as he got up and took a few steps back. Despite Stell's fears about being heard or worse, seen, he pouted at he loss of John Paulo's touch against him.

His face lit up though when John Paulo didn't go farther than to reach the cabinet across from the island and pulled out a bottle of coconut oil, spreading it across his fingers over the countertop for easy cleaning.

“Come on, no one’s home. No one’s going to be home.” he corrected, dropping back down to his knees.

“That’s what – ah – you said – fuck – you said this morning and your mom was oh my god..” Stell cried out, his sentence forgotten as John Paulo pressed his tongue back in along with one slicked finger that was once again rubbing inside of Stell, stretching him out.

Stell's fist thumped against the countertop when John Paulo pushed a second finger in, using his thumb and pinky to hold open the entrance while his middle and index finger worked to stretch him open. He dipped his tongue back in and Stell swore he saw stars because it was unfair that John Paulo was so good at this. He was so good at making Stell lose control – so good at making Stell forget everything except for him.

“Se – Paulo,” he choked out. “Please,” he cried, hands curling into fists when John Paulo removed his fingers completely and sucked against his hole unabashedly.

“What do you want?” John Paulo asked gently.

“You – want you – need you,” Stell cried, voice muffled by his arm that he was resting his cheek against.

John Paulo nodded and lifted himself back up off his knees. He untied the apron constricting him, letting it pool on the ground by his feet. He kicked it away before moving to his shorts. He was sure he had a condom somewhere in his wallet, but Stell reached out grabbed his wrist before he could dig through it.

The look in his eyes couldn’t be described as anything but pure lust. His irises swirled with a kind of passion John Paulo had never seen before, and when Stell opened his mouth, words coming out barely above a whisper to say, “John Paulo...” John Paulo couldn’t do anything but comply.

“Fuck,” he whispered, running an oiled hand over his cock. Stell was so hot. Both inside and out, and John Paulo was reminded of that fact once again as he lined himself up with Stell's entrance, stretched Stell's back so that his spine was extended and visible, before he pushed himself in inch by inch.

“Fuck me,” Stell said as soon as John Paulo was seated to the hilt. He felt so fucking good, clenching and unclenching around John Paulo.

Despite Stell's demands, John Paulo noticed his back was still twinging. They hadn’t used as much preparation as they usually did, but Stell was so enticing it was hard to forget anything but how good it felt to be inside him. This time though, he calmed himself, waiting until Stell relaxed around him.

“Shh baby, take your time,” John Paulo soothed, leaning over to press his chest flush against Stell's back. He kissed his shoulder, hands coming up to trace along Stell's arms until he nudged one palm open from its fisted position and intertwined their fingers. Stell was mumbling something incoherently below him and John Paulo had to strain his ear to listen.

“I’m okay, I promise,” Stell whispered. He groaned and pushed back against John Paulo, back arched beautifully, letting him slide in impossibly deeper.

That was all the invitation John Paulo needed to pull his hips back before slamming back in with a powerful thrust that had Stell flattening against the surface of the counter and John Paulo stuttering in his wake.

It didn’t take him long to find Stell's prostate and once he did, he didn’t have the patience to hold back from abusing it. He let the head of his cock grind over the organ with every thrust and soon enough, Stell's yells of ‘fuck just like that’ and ‘harder, faster’ were nothing more than tiny sobs of ‘yes yes yes.’

“Stell, what do you–”

“Inside,” Stell breathed out, tightening his hold on John Paulo's hand that was still clasped between his, almost painfully so.

The culmination of Stell's breathy whispers of encouragement and his ass sucking him in had John Paulo spilling into him with little difficulty. He groaned, biting down against Stell's shoulder when he felt his boyfriend tighten around him as John Paulo fucked him, riding out his orgasm inside.

He wrapped a hand around Stell's erection, hoping to help him find his release as well. But he was shocked when he felt a warm, wet, and slowly softening cock between his palms instead.

“Did you?”

“Yes. Holy shit, yes,” Stell cried, face flushed between embarrassment and ecstasy.

They stayed like that for a few moments, Stell catching his breath and John Paulo trying his best not to shift while he was still inside him. He pressed gentle kisses to Stell's upper back and shoulders, reminding Stell how of how fucking good he felt, which only served to increase his blush.

He pulled out when Stell's legs stopped wobbling, kneeling down to place a few chaste kisses to the inside of his thighs. He used his discarded tank top to wipe away the excess cum, his cum, dribbling down the length of Stell's long legs. The thought almost had him hard again until he heard Stell cough above him.

“We should clean up before tita gets back tonight,” he blushed jerking his head down to the kitchen island that was far from sanitary anymore.

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed. “You wanna shower?” Stell nodded. “Three showers in one day,” John Paulo mused, gathering the dirty clothes and leading Stell up the stairs.

“And whose fault is that?” Stell remarked drily.

“Shut up,” John Paulo mumbled embarrassedly.

Stell let out a loud chuckle at John Paulo's humbled expression. He always found it endearing how unreserved John Paulo was during sex, but as soon as they were out of their intimate bubble and back into reality, he turned into an embarrassing mess. It was so damn cute.

“Need help?” John Paulo asked, pointing between Stell's legs. This was the first time they had sex without a condom and while they both had been tested, it was still a new experience.

“It’s okay, I can manage… this time,” Stell smiled, turning into the bathroom before John Paulo had the chance to react to the statement.

He spluttered for a few seconds, glad that Stell wasn’t there to see him so dumbfounded before he regained his composure and knocked on the bathroom door. “I’ll clean up in the guest bathroom then set the table. Come down whenever you’re ready!” he shouted over the sound of running water.

He heard a distinct, “Okay Sejun!” yelled back towards him and he shook his head, trying to hold back the large smile that threatened to overtake his face.

So maybe Stell's plans for spending the day together weren’t so bad after all. He’d definitely have to clean up the kitchen and find a way to get rid of the smell of sex from the room lest his mother found out. But hey, if they got away with, he wouldn’t mind doing it again as long as Stell was up for it.

Frankly though, John Paulo wouldn’t mind doing anything, as long as Stell was there with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coconut oil was added and researched on a whim!  
> Please look up on the alternatives intensively just in case 👀 hmm?


	31. Coffee Prince Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stell's vacation date on John Paulo's hometown (*≧∇≦)ﾉ♡
> 
> enjoy reading!

The wellness centers are probably one of the attractions that the city had to offer. Their town wasn’t nearly as big or as populated as the city, but in John Paulo's unbiased (or maybe a little biased) opinion, his hometown was a hundred times nicer. 

Having grown up in the tourist city, John Paulo was used to seeing many different faces around downtown, but he had never paid much attention to why they were there. Call him oblivious or maybe dense but John Paulo had never had a reason to take anyone down to the attractions, which was supposedly one of the most romantic spots in their hometown. At least, he didn’t have a reason until Stell came along.

Sure he had gone on dates before, and sure he had enjoyed them, but something about Stell was unchartered, and made John Paulo feel more at ease than with anyone else he had ever been with. He would always do his best to do something nice. He will take his partner out for dinner at a nice restaurant, a movie, maybe a walk through the park or on the beach, but those were as romantic as the adventures got. 

But then he met Stell, and although his boyfriend never insisted on John Paulo doing romantic things for him, John Paulo couldn’t help but be attracted to that side, anyway. Stell deserved it, and hell if they were together then John Paulo would do everything he could to make sure Stell was happy. 

He had been down past the canal road to the marina a few times with Cullen and Felip, considering Felip's father was a fisherman, but that had never been a date. John Paulo would have never thought of the marina as a date spot, because during the day it was filled with tourists crowded onto small boats, gliding along the length of the water as they snapped pictures of the ancient-style houses lining the edge. 

And at night, John Paulo didn’t have a reason to be by the water, preferring to spend his time inside bars and food stalls, or even weaving his way through he crowded bazaars, which always smelled like home to him. 

\------  
[group chat: three musketeers] 

kidLeader19 >> I can’t believe you’ve been living here ur whole life and u didn’t know that the marina was a fucking date spot 

felipmdrd >> what a disgrace to our beautiful city 

snstr.star >> Fuck you guys! Can you just tell me what the plan is? 

felipmdrd >> so now we’re planning your date as well?

snstr.star >> No, I mean, ugh forget it! This isn’t worth the headache.

kidLeader19 >> Stell isn’t worth it?? *gasp* I can’t wait to tell him! w(°ｏ°)w 

snstr.star >> Don’t you fucking dare, you *know* that’s not what I meant.

felipmdrd >> bringing out the asterisks *aite aite* it’s getting serious up in here!

snstr.star >> Fuck you. 

kidLeader19 >> *ignoring that you put a period after that insult…* since we’re the best friends you could ask for, this is what you’re gonna do. take him to raft restaurant so you can re-enact your first date!

snstr.star >> The market smells like fish. There’s no way I’m taking him there.

felipmdrd >> ok but listen before you start snapping

kidLeader19 >> trust. Stell tells us things he doesn’t tell u 

snstr.star >> Like the fact that his ideal date is a fish market? 

kidLeader19 >> no like how he loves going to markets bc he found it very domestic. plus he said going with you is really cute. ur such a grump! besides he’s also from a countryside. if he didn’t like fish I’d tell u to dump him 

snstr.star >> i'll ignore your rude comment. Keep going 

felipmdrd >> fresh sushi~

snstr.star >> That’s it? 

kidLeader19 >> how tf is that NOT appealing to u?? 

felipmdrd >> fine!! if that doesn’t convince you. you know how there are a couple of stores that’ll cook you whatever you want as long as you buy the meat from them? you should do that. it’s sure to make Stell swoon 

snstr.star >> Ok, I guess that’s not a terrible idea… 

kidLeader19 >> yeah so after u tour the market and woo him with ur charm, walk along the seaside and idk go into some stores, wait it out until the streetlights come on and the water lights up 

felipmdrd >> then take him over the bridge connecting the canal road to the marina where my dad is so graciously letting you borrow his boat 

snstr.star >> Wait, actually?

felipmdrd >> yeah, great idea from me right? what else is new? (^_<)〜☆ 

kidLeader19 >> then bam! you have access to the port. start off at the dock and slowly make your way out into the marina 

felipmdrd >> so much better than just going up and down one measly canal dontcha think? oh btw! there’s a card in the storage compartment that u’ll need to access the port but u remember how to do that right? 

snstr.star >> Yeah, thanks man. And thank your dad for me too. 

felipmdrd >> buy me ten boxes of creampuffs and we’ll call it even

snstr.star >> Fine, what about you, Cullen?

kidLeader19 >> i’ll get back to you on the payment 

snstr.star >> Sure, I guess?

felipmdrd >> ohhhh so complacent, he must be happy. quick Cullen!! ask him for his Rolex!!!

snstr.star >> Watches are off limits you fuckers. But thanks, I’ll talk to you later 

kidLeader19 >> aww!! bye *Sejun*

felipmdrd >> c ya Sejun ヽ(●´ε｀●)ノ

\------

John Paulo muted the chat and plugged his phone back into charge, rolling his eyes at his friends’ ridiculous comments. Still, he had to admit that they were being awfully helpful. It made him realize just how much they liked Stell too. And the thought that they were getting along so well was comforting. 

He instinctively looked up from his phone at the thought of his boyfriend. Stell was outside in the garden with his mom, which John Paulo should have been worried about because when the two of them were alone together, John Paulo was the one who was likely to come out of the situation incredibly embarrassed. But he wasn’t worried as much as he was contemplative. 

Through the floor to ceiling glass window that separated the backyard from the dining room, John Paulo could see how happy Stell was. He was waving his long arms around in every direction as he enthusiastically related something to John Paulo's mother. It was the weekend and she had the day off from work, so they had decided to spend the day with her. She usually brought work home but John Paulo appreciated that she was taking the time out of her busy schedule to spend time with Stell. Even if his mother and Stell liked to team up against him, they got along and that was more important to him than a little bit of embarrassment.

John Paulo had been afraid Stell would find it boring, but he seemed far more into it than John Paulo had given him credit for. Apparently, he liked gardening which came as a surprise, although at that point, John Paulo supposed he shouldn’t have been amazed by Stell's constant revelations. 

He looked completely at ease wearing a light grey baseball cap – hair pulled back over his scalp so his bangs were covered and only the tufts of hair at the base of his neck were peaking out – a pair of grey shorts and a blue t-shirt. His hands were covered in black gardening gloves and his left knee had dirt on it from having knelt down on the wet soil not too long ago. 

His eyes were shining and his cheeks were pink – maybe from excitement as much as from being sunburnt. His skin was so sensitive and although John Paulo had personally lathered sunscreen all over his face that morning. He ignored Stell's whines of protest about how it was not his brand - it felt too sticky and John Paulo was being too rough with his face, the sun had still managed to damage it. 

John Paulo uncrossed his arms, realizing that he had been staring at Stell chatting idly for a little too long and immediately flushed at the thought. He was allowed to stare, allowed to admire, but it still embarrassed him to know that Stell could capture his attention with the most mundane of things. 

He grabbed a tray of iced tea off the dining room table, which he had been sent in to do in the first place. Before sliding open the screen door and stepping out into the garden, John Paulo also seized the bottle of sunscreen he had left out for Stell, just in case. 

“Sejun, what took you so long?” Stell asked, head turning at the sound of the screen door sliding open. 

“Sorry, I got distracted answering a few messages from Cullen and Felip.” he apologized. 

“Are they coming over?” Tita Grace asked. 

“No, maybe tomorrow though,” he shook his head, stepping out of his house slippers and into the shoes he had left discarded at the foot of the back door. 

He nearly lost his balance with the tray in his hand but he managed to keep the glasses steady. The bottle of sunscreen however, slipped from his free hand as he grabbed the grey brick wall lining the back of the house, and clattered against the stone path.

“Here,” he handed the tray to his mom who placed it on the patio table. She smiled at him, hiding the smirk behind a well-practiced poker face. 

John Paulo bent down and picked up the fallen bottle of sunscreen before walking over to Stell and holding it out in front of him. 

“What’s this?” Stell frowned. His dislike for sticky sunscreen was unbelievable. 

“You already burned your cheeks a little. You need to reapply,” John Paulo chided.

Stell jut his lips out petulantly, and if his mom wasn’t standing right there John Paulo would have leaned in and kissed the look off his face. Who gave Stell the right to look so fucking adorable, even when he was pouting? 

“I don’t like that sunscreen,” he frowned, twisting his lips down further.

“You’ll get wrinkles if you don’t take care of your skin,” John Paulo chided. Not that he cared. Stell was beautiful no matter what; his boyfriend happened to have the same train of thought, smirking carefully at John Paulo upon hearing the comment.

“Sejun will love me either way, right?” he asked, eyelashes fluttering low, casting an alluring shadow across his cheeks.

John Paulo wanted to kiss him so badly. He was vaguely aware of his mother still standing not too far from him, dressed in a long, blue maxi dress that gave her the aura of innocence but that didn’t match the amused smile on her face.

“Stell,” John Paulo said roughly. “That’s not the point.” he reminded. 

Stell chuckled quietly, pleased with the response before his face fell down contemplatively again. “My hands are dirty,” he said eventually, thinking he had gotten out of the task.

“Alright then just stand there. My hands are clean.” John Paulo said easily. 

Before Stell could protest, John Paulo had uncapped the bottle and poured the cream out in his palms. He knew that he wasn’t going to get Stell to put the sunscreen on willingly, and just like that morning, he would have to take matters into his own hands. Not that he minded. 

He gently massaged Stell's face, being careful of the spots where his cheeks were a little dry from having been out in the sun for so long. Stell closed his eyes and shot John Paulo a dirty look, doing his best to make it difficult for John Paulo to stretch his skin and apply the lotion. 

Tita Grace chuckled from behind them, finally breaking her silent, amused expression to voice her opinion. “Paulo is so sweet~” she sighed, making John Paulo blush at the compliment. “You know, I used to do this to his father. I wonder if that’s where he picked it up from.” she continued, not so casually. 

Syell cracked his eye open at that. He stared at John Paulo with an unreadable, stoic expression for a few seconds before his face melted into something akin to adoration. He didn’t comment, which John Paulo was grateful for because he wasn’t sure his face could handle any more heat. The sun shining above them was enough but he did ease up his pout and was more complacent as John Paulo's fingers spread across his face. 

When he was done with Stell's face, he ran his hands along the length of his exposed arms then down his legs, all the way to his ankles. He brushed the dirt off his left knee with the back of his hand, and in a moment of weakness, pressed a kiss to his right, that was covered in the white brace. 

John Paulo was grateful he was wearing it more often now. Stell claimed that it made him look lame, but John Paulo didn’t care. Something like that could never make him look lame – in fact, it made him look more attractive in John Paulo's opinion. His strength, his determination, his resolve, all of it was attractive and John Paulo would fight Stell tooth and nail until he believed that too. 

“Sejun!!” Stell scolded, quickly moving back and almost tripping over the hole that he had dug behind him for the pink azaleas. John Paulo was back up on his feet in an instant, reaching out to catch Stell by the wrist before he fell back. “That wasn’t funny,” Stell chided, face pulled down into a frown once he had steadied himself. 

“It wasn’t meant to be,” John Paulo responded seriously. 

Stell huffed but didn’t protest. He hid his eyes under his baseball cap, but it was impossible for John Paulo to miss the way his eyes widened affectionately. 

“Do you want me to turn away, or would you prefer I leave?” Tita Grace's teasing voice brought John Paulo back from whatever bubble he had closed himself and Stell off in. 

“Sorry,” he apologized sheepishly. 

“See, this is what I was telling you about,” Stell chuckled, turning his attention back to Tita Grace. “Sejun is so possessive, he always monopolizes my attention,” Stell teased, but his face was dusted pink in that way he only got when he was truly embarrassed or humbled. 

“Quit spreading lies about me, Shitvester,” John Paulo grumbled, turning away to find his own pair of gardening gloves. 

“Shitvester?” his mom laughed, holding up a hand to her mouth to hide her amusement. “That’s the least endearing name I’ve ever heard! And yet, I can’t help but feel like that’s exactly what it was meant to be.” 

“It’s not cute at all,” Stell agreed, smiling through the lie. 

“I don’t know why he thinks you’ll want to stay with him if he keeps that up,” she added thoughtfully. The way her eyes sparkled with mischief was enough to give away the teasing in her voice. Still, it didn’t stop John Paulo from grumbling in annoyance. 

“Ma, did you actually need our help or are you just trying to embarrass me?” John Paulo asked stiffly, ducking his head down to hide his own flush. 

Unfortunately for him, the flush had spread down his neck and chest and was currently covering his shoulders that were exposed under his grey tank top. John Paulo contemplated shifting his own black baseball cap that was turned backwards the right way, but that would have been too obvious, so he fiddled with the bags of soil instead, hoping that no one would comment on his obvious embarrassment. 

“Fine, fine, I’ll go back to supervising,” she conceded. John Paulo knew that she wasn’t going to keep the embarrassing comments to herself. 

Although he could find himself caring about it when Stell tapped his shoulders after a few moments, pointing to the copperpod that still needed to be planted. “I can’t carry that by myself,” he said in explanation. “And don’t worry, I like everything you call me because I know it’s said with love.” he smiled sunnily. 

John Paulo's eyes widened in response, but he smiled and allowed Stell to pull him to the tree. Sure, he was embarrassed with his mom constantly making teasing remarks, but even doing ordinary tasks like gardening with Stell was pretty worth it. Especially when he knew Stell liked being with him just as much. 

“Are we going on a date?” Stell asked brightly that night.

After spending most of the day outside, John Paulo was exhausted, but in a good way: the way he only got after a good workout and sex. 

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, slipping on a maroon long-sleeved shirt over his dark wash jeans. It was probably going to be hot in the marketplace with all the people that were there. But once they were out in the marina, he was sure it would get cooler. 

“What should I wear?” Stell asked contemplatively. “Will it be cold?” he asked, pointing to John Paulo's long-sleeved shirt. His shirt wasn’t that thick, but Stell also got cold very easily. He frowned moving towards Stell's bags before throwing him a pair of black jeans and a dark blue sweater that wasn’t too thick or too thin. 

“Oh, is Sejun picking my clothes out now?” Stell asked teasingly, removing his clothing so he could change into the ones John Paulo had handed to him. 

“Why do you have to make everything sound provocative?” 

“Because it’s too easy to embarrass you,” Stell smiled.

“Yeah? Well I know a few good ways to embarrass you,” John Paulo said lowly, coming over and placing his hand against Stell's clothed ass, palming the flesh lightly. He was satisfied when Stell let out a little squeak at the action and his ears turned red. “No more embarrassing me,” John Paulo threatened half-heartedly. 

Stell nodded weakly but the small smile on his face never left. They said goodbye to Tita Grace who wished them a good time. John Paulo felt bad for leaving her on her day off, but it was the only day Felip's dad’s boat was available. His mom seemed to have sensed the guilt, and she assured John Paulo when he came back in to grab his wallet that he forgot because he was a nervous dumbass, that she was happy she was spending time with Stell and that she really liked him. That one simple sentence was enough to ease all of his worries for the rest of the night. 

The market definitely smelled like fish but Stell didn’t complain. He tugged John Paulo through the narrow stalls, insisting that they check all the food samples that were on display. It was crowded and within moments, John Paulo felt sweat bead down his neck, but Stell's face was shining and he kept trying to cling to John Paulo, which was annoying as much as it was cute, so it was easy to forget his discomfort.

“Sejun, open your mouth wide,” Stell said for what was the hundredth time that evening. He lifted a piece of salmon sashimi between his chopsticks and held it out for John Paulo to try. 

“I’m going to get mercury poisoning by the end of the night,” John Paulo complained, but he widened his mouth and accepted the food anyway. 

“Good, right?” Stell asked, ignoring John Paulo's weak negativity.

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed. “But I’m used to this. Being close to a fishing port means regular fresh seafood so it isn’t uncommon here,” he reminded with a chuckle. 

“Don’t take the fun out of it,” Stell chided half-heartedly. 

“Sorry,” John Paulo laughed in apology. Stell forgot his complaints when the next time he picked up his chopsticks to feed John Paulo, John Paulo didn’t need to be prompted to open his mouth and accept the offering.

“I bet Josh would die to live here,” Stell laughed. John Paulo nodded his head in agreement, remembering the man’s borderline obsession with grilled mackerel pike. “Oh! let’s eat mackerel next. I’m going to take a picture and send it to him,” he smiled mischievously. 

“You don’t even like mackerel,” John Paulo rolled his eyes. 

“Fine, then you eat it while I take a picture. It’s so much fun annoying Josh,” he hummed. John Paulo sighed, but didn’t fight it. One moment Stell could be so mature, and the next moment he would revert right back to being a five-year old. It was cute either way and it was driving John Paulo mad how someone could be so adorable all the damn time.

Being surrounded by tourists made John Paulo a bit more relaxed about being out in public. The town wasn’t a huge city and his parents knew a lot of important people so he could have easily been recognized. But with Stell's charming smile and enthusiasm, John Paulo was pulled into his orbit almost effortlessly. 

He let Stell hold his hand shyly between his own, even tugging him closer, which wasn’t such a big deal in the crowd. But it still made Stell beam at him so wholeheartedly that if they weren’t in public, John Paulo would have kissed him on the mouth right there. 

The city back in their university was different. It was a lot more progressive and filled with young people who were far more open-minded than some of older cities and towns. But somehow, John Paulo found himself comfortable being out with Stell where anyone could see and recognize him. He kind of wanted people to see because he never considered himself as anything but lucky to have someone as wonderful as Stellvester Ajero to call his boyfriend. 

“What are you thinking about?” Stell asked once they had eaten dinner – an assortment of grilled seafood – and had escaped the busy confines of the crowded market. 

“You,” John Paulo answered honestly.

“What about me?” Stepl pressed. 

“How much I love you,” he tossed Stell a lopsided grin, which Stell received with a bright one of his own.

“Do you really?” he asked bashfully. 

“Of course, you idiot. I’ve only been saying it for a month now,” he rolled his eyes, knocking his shoulder into Stell's lightly. 

He couldn’t understand why Stell of all people was so self-conscious. Of course John Paulo loved him. He didn’t take it personally and he certainly didn’t think it was Stell's way of telling him that he didn’t exactly show it, because the way Stell's face would light up shyly every time John Paulo confirmed it told him that Stell was just looking for reassurance.

“Can I ask you for something then?” Stell asked, biting his lower lip thoughtfully.

John Paulo turned his head to look at Stell's face at the question, but Stell was still looking ahead of him. The sky had turned dark in the time that they were in the fish market and the cobbled stone lining the perimeter of the bay was reflecting the orange glow of the streetlamps brightening the path. 

Stell tilted his head slightly as they walked, the lights dancing along the planes of his face and reflecting off his hair; it made John Paulo want to reach out and touch him. But he settled with squeezing Stell's hand in his own tightly, urging him on to ask what he wanted. “Of course.” 

“It was souls day a few days ago,” he chuckled hesitantly. 

“It was,” John Paulo agreed, feeling the weight of those words settle in. It had never been his favourite time of the year – this year made worse by his father’s passing.

Stell was silent after his initial statement, which made John Paulo nervous. He felt his palms start to sweat and he was certain Stell could feel it. But if he was bothered by it, he didn’t say anything. They continued walking along the path and John Paulo thought that the conversation was never going to take off – that he just wasn’t going to find out what Stsll wanted to tell him, at least not that night, when he heard Stell mumble something briefly. 

“What?” he asked, because Stell's voice had been too quiet to register. 

“Can I – I mean, can we, uhm.. can we visit together?” Stell asked quietly. “I know it’s really personal and if it’s a family shrine then I guess some of your relatives might not want me there. But I figured since it wasn’t souls day anymore, I could uhm.. I could visit with you and hopefully I wouldn’t be overstepping,” he said quickly, turning his cheek to face the water instead of John Paulo's stare. 

John Paulo didn’t think it was possible for him to love Stsll more than he already did. But the way his heart ached at the question made him realize that there would always be a way for Stell to make John Paulo fall in love with him over and over again. 

“Forget it, that was dumb,” Stell said before John Paulo could answer, misunderstanding his silence for rejection. 

“Hey,” John Paulo chided, swallowing the lump in his throat. He tugged at Stell's hand to stop him in his tracks while he used his left hand to cup his cheek, turning Stell's face towards his own.

“Are you crying?” Stell asked, startled by his reaction. John Paulo didn’t realize that a few tears had slipped down his face in the meantime. And he immediately felt guilty at the look of horror on Stell's face. Stell probably thought that it was his fault. But before John Paulo could dispel his worries, Stell had reached forward with his own free hand and wiped John Paulo's cheeks. 

“Sorry,” John Paulo apologized, voice coming out hoarse against the swelling in his throat. He felt someone bump his shoulder as they walked past him. They must have uttered an apology but in that moment, the only thing John Paulo could focus on was the way Stell was looking at him – all twitching fingers and biting lips – and nothing else really mattered. 

“I’m sorry, forget I asked,” Stell whispered, hand moving down John Paulo's cheek to wipe it clean of the tears. He looked like he was about to cry so John Paulo released Stell's hand and brought his palm up to cup his other cheek; with both hands, John Paulo tugged Stell close, not caring if anyone else could see and kissed him deeply, until Stell's lips relaxed against his own and he kissed John Paulo back. 

“Of course we can go to my family mausoleum together. You want to visit my dad’s grave right?” John Paulo asked knowingly once they had parted. 

“Yeah,” Stell nodded.

“Come here,” John Paulo tugged at Stell until he buried his head against John Paulo's neck and wrapped his arms around John Paulo's waist. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” he whispered honestly into Stell's ear. 

Everyone always said that their hometown looked the best in the summer time, when the streets were filled with peole, and people’s faces were pink and cheery from the nipping wind and festive atmosphere. But in that moment, John Paulo didn’t think there was ever a time that the city looked as nice, as it did with Stell in it. 

Stell didn’t reply to John Paulo's comment, only fisted his hand in the material of John Paulo's shirt harder, until finally John Paulo pulled away, remembering that they were on a time limit before the gates to the port closed off. 

“Thank you,” Stell responded seriously. 

John Paulo wanted to tell him there was nothing he had thank him for. He knew Stell wasn’t going to listen so instead, he said, “Come on, the date’s not over yet,” and pulled Stell's hand, increasing their pace as he tugged them to the dock. 

“Where are we going?” Stell asked when John Paulo pulled him over the bridge and down a flight of wobbly stone steps that led them to the shore of the canal. 

“Get in,” John Paulo grinned, fishing a pair of keys and motioning for Stell to step into the boat after him.

“Oh my god, are you serious?” Stell yelled. “Wait you have a boat? You have a boating license?!” he questioned. “Where are we going? When Cullen said something about a marina, I thought we’d do just one of those tourist boat rides along the canal,” he frowned. 

“That’s boring,” John Paulo laughed. “You’re dealing with a local here. We’re going out there,” he pointed past the gates. 

“That can’t be safe. You’re not going to just take me out into the water to dump my body there, are you?” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. 

“Come on? we’ve got until 10 pm before we have to get back. The coastguards monitor the perimeter anyway so we won’t be allowed past that. I promise you’ll be safe.” John Paulo said sincerely, stepping into the boat and reaching a hand out for Stell to grab on. 

He steadied the slowly bouncing fishing boat with one foot firmly placed on the deck while Stell reached for his hand and jumped on. He let out an embarrassed cry when the boat rocked and held on to John Paulo tightly in an attempt not to fall into the water. 

“I hate this already,” Stell mumbled as John Paulo untied the boat from the dock. 

“Don’t judge it yet, I promise this is fun,” he insisted, turning the engine on. “You just have to get used to it.” Stell made a strangled noise of comprehension but he didn’t push his hesitancy because he was willing to try it out, even if he didn’t like boats or being on the water.

The canal was closed off but the marina was still open for the last few boats of the day that were still lingering out in the ocean. John Paulo flashed the gatekeeper the insurance card and permit. The man looked unimpressed that they were leaving so late at night. But when the permissions all checked out, he had no choice but to let them through. 

“Is this your boat?” Stell asked, once his nerves had calmed down a little.

“Nah, it’s Felip's dad’s. He goes out during the day and leaves it docked overnight. He’s usually home late but I guess Felip must have done something to convince him to let us borrow it for one night,” John Paulo smiled. “And to answer your previous question, I do have a boating license. Summer breaks are boring as hell – obviously not this one though,” he corrected when Stell scoffed. 

“So Felip's dad would sometimes let Cullen and I go out with them since Felip was already roped into helping his dad out during his free time. His dad figured that if we were going to keep joining him, we might as well know what we were doing so he taught us. It’s actually not that difficult,” John Paulo chuckled. “Come here, I’ll show you,” he waved Stell over to the wheel. 

“How do you know where you’re going?” Stell asked curiously, the nervousness starting to wear off with John Paulo's comforting arm wrapped around his waist. 

“There are lights around the boat. See, you can see them lighting up the water,” he pointed over the edge. From the stand where the wheel was, it was easier to look out over the edge. The fishing boat was kind of old school but it had been upgraded to have as many new features as it could manage. 

“You don’t get seasick, do you?” John Paulo frowned, at Stell's lack of enthusiasm. 

“It’s not that,” he denied. 

“Then what? You can’t swim?” John Paulo pressed. 

“I can,” Stell said, maybe a little too quickly to be convincing. 

John Paulo hesitated before reaching out for one of the lifejackets. He tossed it to Stell in the hopes that it would make him feel better, but it only served to worsen his mood. 

“What?” John Paulo frowned. He realized he should have asked Stell whether he even liked boating before dragging him out here. But Cullen and Felip had insisted it was a good date idea, and well, here they were with Stell looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. 

It was safe to say that John Paulo felt like a dick. 

“I’m not a child,” Stell huffed, turning around and giving the lifejacket back to John Paulo. “I don’t need one of these. Besides, we won’t drown, right?” he asked almost hesitantly. 

Oh, so he felt miffed. John Paulo wiped the smile that was threatening to peak out from his face. He nudged Stell so that he was standing in front of him again before John Paulo reached out and took Stell's hands in his. He slowly lifted them to place them on the wheel; John Paulo was doing most of the work but he hoped the proximity would help to ease some of Stell's worries. 

“I promise I won’t let you drown,” John Paulo whispered against his shoulder. 

“Thanks Sejun,” Stell responded sincerely. “I’m sorry for being snappy, I guess I was just embarrassed,” he admitted sheepishly. 

“About not being able to swim?” 

“Yeah,” Stell agreed, nodding his head. His hair tickled the side of John Paulo's cheek and he let out an involuntary shudder at the contact. 

“Well we’re going to fix that. Can’t have people making fun of you,” John Paulo teased, pressing a kiss to Stell's flushed cheek. 

“But nowhere public, alright? I don’t want people to see,” he huffed, clearly self-conscious.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got the perfect place,” he agreed. 

Stell seemed to mellow out at that. He agreed to John Paulo's proposal, and the longer they stayed out on the water, the more relaxed he became. When they finally settled out near the edge of the marina with the lighthouse from the island slowly shedding light across the dark bay, Stell was as tranquil as the ocean water. 

The tides were low that night which John Paulo was thankful for. The last thing he needed was for Stell to have more to worry about. He turned the engine off and let the small gust of wind rock them back and forth. Inside the cabin, John Paulo found a couple of blankets and a lantern. He laid the blankets out on the wooden flooring and placed the lit lantern down next to it. 

“I guess this is nice,” Stell mumbled, curling into John Paulo's lap. Stell's hands were absentmindedly tracing patterns across John Paulo's outstretched thighs, while John Paulo's own hand was playing with Stell's hair. It was so soft and wavy and easy to curl around his fingers. 

“You guess?” John Paulo chuckled.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s not the worst date we’ve been on,” Stell corrected, huffing hot air against John Paulo'd stomach. 

“Well, what’s the best date we’ve had then?” John Paulo smiled lazily. 

“The first time we went to lake,” Stell answered easily. 

“Really?” John Paulo asked. Although, that had been a very good date. “Why’s that?”

“Because it’s the first time I’ve ever felt that I could really love someone in the way that I love you,” he answered honestly. John Paulo looked down and amidst the hair partially covering Stell's face, John Paulo could see how rosy his cheeks were.

“What about you?” Stell asked, changing the subject. “What’s your favourite date been?”

John Paulo thought about it for a few moments. His favourite? He wasn’t sure he really had one, but the way Stell was looking up at him expectantly made him think harder about it. 

“When we went hiking up the hill a few days back,” he said finally. 

“Why that one?” Stell frowned. 

“Because you tripped over a large rock and fell.” 

“What the hell? That’s so weird,” Stell complained. 

“Hey listen, you didn’t let me finish,” John Paulo insisted. When Stell shut his mouth and glared up at him silently, John Paulo continued. “Your legs and arms were all scraped. You looked kind of like a mess and I could hear how you were trying not to cry against my back when I offered to carry you back to the start of the trail,” he pushed a few strands out of Stell's eyes so he could look at him properly. 

“And when we got back to the car, you told me how you were afraid it was going to affect your leg again because it really hurt. That’s the first time you didn’t hold anything back. You shared your pain without any prompting and it made me realize that even though you act tough around your friends and family, there are always things you hold back. But if you’ll let me, I’ll always be there to share those burdens with you.”

Stell was silent for a few moments until his face turned up into a shy smile. “Wow, you always have to one-up me, don’t you Sejun?” he chuckled breathily. 

“I’m not trying to,” John Paulo insisted.

“That’s fine,” Stell waved off. “As long as you only say those things to me,” he grinned. 

“Needy,” John Paulo chuckled. 

“Possessive,” Stell shot back. 

“Obviously, have you seen you?” John Paulo agreed, laughing lightly when he was rewarded with an embarrassed whine from Stell. 

“Give me your hand,” Stell asked, reaching out for John Paulo's right hand. “The lighthouse is kind of ruining it but there’s the Big Dipper,” Stell held John Paulo's finger up to the sky. “And if you keep following it up.. there’s the North Star.” he smiled. 

“You already showed me that one,” John Paulo chuckled. 

“Not here though,” Stell huffed. “Don’t ruin it, I’m trying to be romantic Sejun,” Stell chided. He perked up though at remembering a new constellation. “Okay, I’ve got something new for you. Look up there, that’s Vega- who you might know in japanese as Orihime,” Stell grinned. 

“What, really?” John Paulo looked up to where Stell held his finger. 

“Yup,” Stell agreed. “And that one over there,” he moved his hand down and to the right, “is Altair or Hikoboshi.” 

“I hate that story,” John Paulo admitted. 

“Why? It’s supposed to be romantic,” Stell sighed. 

“It’s stupid because this dude is so worried about his daughter because she works really hard so he sets her up with a guy who she falls in love with. But then when they do get married and are happy, he decides to separate them. Why? Because she stopped weaving clothes for him? And Hikoboshi couldn’t control his cows? So what? What if they wanted to change their professions. What if they just wanted to have a good honeymoon?” 

Stell let out a loud laugh that broke John Paulo out of his rant. “What?” 

“I didn’t know you felt so strongly about it,” Stell chuckled. “But who knows, maybe it’s not even true.” he sighed. “But if it is, can you imagine that they still love one another enough to wait a whole year to be together again? That’s dedication and you have to admit that it’s romantic no matter how much you hate the story behind their separation,” Stell goaded. 

“I guess, whatever. It’s dumb to separate people who are in love,” he repeated stubbornly. 

“Huh, you’d hate Tanabata in Japan. They we’re pretty much known for that festival,” Stell chuckled, bringing their arms down and resting their clasped hands on his chest. 

John Paulo could feel Stell's heartbeat run through his hands, up his arms and settle into his own chest. It took a few seconds, but he eventually found his own heart beating in symphony with Stell's as well. 

“I won’t hate the festival. I just hate the story,” John Paulo corrected. 

“Do you want to spend the festival together someday then?” Stell asked quietly. 

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, feeling relieved that Stell had even asked. It was kind of a couple’s holiday which was why John Paulo had never paid much interest in it. With Stell though, he figured he might actually enjoy himself and maybe even get caught up in the story. 

“Good, because I want to travel with you,” Stell confirmed, squeezing John Paulo's hand gently. 

It was easy to fall into a peaceful silence with the wind gently rocking the boat and Stell's warm hand holding onto his tightly. For a moment, John Paulo forgot that they were out in the middle of the marina together. They stayed like that until the sound of the lighthouse reminded John Paulo that they needed to head back.


	32. Coffee Prince Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I distracted myself with twttr parties.. talking with fellow fans are fun! But still no mention from the now verified SB19official account haha
> 
> And seems like a lot of you liked Mr. John Paulo 👀

Visiting graves was never a happy occasion. Death was never a happy occasion. While Stell was aware of this fact, he didn’t have much experience with it so he hadn’t put too much thought behind how sombre visiting John Paulo's father’s grave would be. He had been nervous all day but the real implications of being at John Paulo's family shrine didn’t hit Stell until they were there. 

Once he took in the sight of the granite countertop filled with candles, smelled the air that was flowing with incense, hands clasped carefully around a bouquet of assorted flowers, the grim realization hit him with all the sudden force of a typhoon.

The shrine itself was beautiful. The tombs lay in neat rows, separated from one another with enough space between them to not be overcrowded. It was clean, well groomed and the structure of the old house that had been re-constructed to look like a temple in the front made it look so picturesque.

It was also quiet and empty which Stell appreciated because having to deal with other people asking him why he was there would have been awkward. He was sure his nervousness was showing but surprisingly John Paulo didn’t say a thing to him. He didn’t try to calm Stell down or even tell him off for being so fidgety. Instead, John Paulo was quiet that whole morning, which only served to put Stell further on edge.

The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, but it still made him feel uneasy. The taciturnity did nothing to calm Stell's nerves. From the moment they woke up, to the moment they stepped out of the car, Stell kept thinking about whether John Paulo really wanted Stell to be there. Sure, he hadn’t shown any signs of hesitancy when Stell first asked but the way he was acting now made Stell feel self-conscious.

But he didn’t regret asking John Paulo if they could go at all, even though his nerves were starting to betray him. If he would never be able to meet John Paulo's father properly, the least he could do was pay his respects while he had the chance. Stell wasn’t sure when he would be able to return, so this was the kind of opportunity he didn’t want to miss while he was here.

For all his silence, John Paulo was oddly complacent which was the only thing that calmed Stell down even a smidge. They held hands the entire car ride to the family shrine, John Paulo squeezing Stell's fingers between his palms the whole time, either out of habit or a way to search some comfort of his own. 

They were dressed in black suits, adhering to the customs that the interment space had been built under. Stell had to borrow one from John Paulo, which Tita Grace was happy to fix for both of them.

Stell had asked her if she wanted to come with them but she insisted that they go alone, and that she could go some other time. Later while Stell was waiting for John Paulo to finish getting ready, Tita Grace told Stell that she visited every weekend to clean her husband’s grave and plant new flowers, even in the rainy days. And when she was away for business, she went every day leading up to the date of her departure to make up for the lost time.

The gesture was too sweet and entirely heartbreaking. Stell found the dull ache in his heart spread through his entire body at the thought.

It had only been months since John Paulo's father had passed which wasn’t all that long. So Stell expected John Paulo to cry on more than one occasion but he was sombre the entire time.

Stell on the other hand couldn’t have said the same thing for himself, which was entirely embarrassing because he didn’t even know the man. But still, the idea that he would never actually be able to meet him either was enough to cause his eyes to well up in unshakeable tears. John Paulo didn’t say anything every time Stell wiped at his face quickly, only pressed a kiss to his cheek and helped him clean the tears.

The whole time they were at the grave, praying while the incense burned on the grey-speckled stones around them, Stell could feel John Paulo's hurt emanating from him. It made Stell's heart ache because he couldn’t imagine the loss, not when John Paulo and his father had been so close and he found himself thinking that life really was unfair.

When they were done paying their respects together, Stell was prepared to return to the car to let John Paulo have his own time alone. But he was stopped before he could turn back, John Paulo's hand wrapping around his wrist and tugging him back gently.

“What is it?” Stell frowned.

“Don’t leave yet,” John Paulo said in response, voice so painfully neutral that Stell couldn’t tell if he was being scolded or not. “I mean, you came all this way – you can – if you want – you can talk to him first,” he said hesitantly.

Stell's confusion immediately melted into a look of adoration. He smiled shakily and nodded his head in understanding before he shuffled back over and knelt down in front of the grave. John Paulo stepped back, looking ready to walk away but Stell turned back and gave him a more solid smile, which made him stop in his tracks.

He looked around hesitantly, he had visited his great grandparents’ graves before but this was different. He didn’t really know John Paulo's father, so talking to him felt strange. Still, John Paulo had reached out to him and the thought was enough to make him want to try. He did want to try because meeting John Paulo's father in some form or another would always be important to him.

“Hello Sir Nase,” he said awkwardly. He had to hold back the urge to turn around and seek confirmation from his boyfriend. Instead, he stared ahead at the stone, chewing his bottom lip nervously as he wracked his brain for something else to say.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t meet properly. My name’s Stellvester Ajero but you can call me Stell if you like. I’m sure Sejun already told you all the boring stuff about me.. it’s okay if I call him that right? Tita Grace says you’re very lovely and that Sejun is just like you,” he hesitated, eyes turning blurry with unshed tears.

“I forgot to say this earlier but I’m dating your son,” he paused. “I bet you already knew that though.” he corrected shyly.

“He moved to the city this year and I know it’s because of you, and I couldn’t be more upset of the circumstances but you wouldn’t believe how much better he made my life. He’s funny and intelligent, and the kindest person I know. I’m lucky to be able to say that I love him very much.” he continued, voice increasingly wobblier with every word.

Stell could feel the flush spread across his face. He could feel John Paulo's presence behind him. But in that moment, he couldn’t focus on anyone, anything, except the gravestone in front of him.

“He always treats me well and doesn’t hold back on calling me out when I’m being an idiot. He’s such a dork but he gets along with everyone. My family really loves him too. My nephew already thinks of him as an uncle. I’m pretty sure he likes Sejun better than me,” Stell smiled through his tears, remembering the way Lemuel had hung off of John Paulo the entire time he had been in their place.

“Sometimes, he says really silly things but I love how passionate he is about his studies. He tries to take me out on really romantic dates, he’s always looking out for me, whether it’s emotionally or physically and he cares more about me than I could ever ask anyone to do. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with all this kindness,” he admitted, hiccupping as the words became muffled.

“The only thing I can do is promise you that I’ll do everything I possibly can do to make sure he’s as happy as he makes me every single day we spend together.”

He brought his hands up to his eyes, wiping away at the steady stream of tears that he couldn’t hold back anymore with the sleeve of his suit. He couldn’t even bear to look at John Paulo, but he didn’t have to worry about the snot or the tears or the hiccups that escaped his mouth when he felt John Paulo's hand reach out and touch his shoulder, gently nudging him back up to his feet and turning him around before crushing him in a tight hug.

“I love you,” he whispered against Stell's ear, holding his head tightly against his chest. “I love you so much,” he said again, weaving his hand through Stell's hair, bringing his face back far enough that he could look at Stell when he said it.

“Sejun,” Stell said quietly. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, not knowing what exactly he was apologizing for. But the words made John Paulo tighten his hold and Stell did the same, clutching the soft fabric of John Paulo's suit jacket between his hands tightly.

After that, Stell wasn’t sure how much time they spent just holding one another until the tears passed and the sadness turned into a dull ache that was easier to push aside, even if it wasn’t easy to ignore.

Stell let John Paulo spend some time alone with his father, insisting that he was okay to wait in the car. It took another thirty minutes of him fidgeting quietly, wondering what exactly John Paulo was saying, how he was feeling, whether there was anything Stell could do to help him get through the day before John Paulo returned.

“We should do something quiet tonight,” Stell suggested on their drive back home.

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, voice thick.

Stell ran his thumb over the back of John Paulo's hand, hoping to show some silent support. He wasn’t really sure if his presence or his touch was doing anything, but John Paulo didn’t pull away, so that was something.

“Tita is going to be home late right? Maybe we can order in and watch a movie,” Stell continued. It would be good to get his mind off of their morning. While visiting family graves was a widely followed custom, it didn’t make the journey any easier.

“Sure,” he nodded, face hard and expression unreadable.

Stell didn’t press him further until they got back to the house. They trudged upstairs to change out of their suits. While Stell's back was turned, halfway through pulling on a clean t-shirt, John Paulo locked himself in the bathroom, which made Stell finally feel guilty about the whole thing.

“Sejun?” Stell asked, knocking against the bathroom door weakly. “Are you alright? Do you need something?”

He was met with silence on the other side until he heard the sound of the tap water running. He was being ignored which might have bothered him under any other circumstance but right now, he just felt a sense of despair for his boyfriend.

“Sejun,” Stell called again, a little louder so that his voice could be heard over the running water. “Please let me see you. I’m sorry for asking if we could visit your father’s grave together. That was inconsiderate of me. I should have thought about how it would affect you. Please... open the door and let me make it up to you?” he cried a little desperately, not even caring about how he sounded at the moment.

Stell thought he was going to be ignored again, but then he heard the tap turn off and felt the shake of the wooden door he was leaning against. John Paulo opened it so quickly that Stell had to take a step back to prevent himself from falling forward.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” John Paulo's hoarse voice cut Stell off from thinking the worst.

“But–”

“Nothing,” John Paulo said firmly, moving past to grab a towel to wipe his wet face.

Stell didn’t know what he was supposed to do so he shuffled back into the room and watched John Paulo discard his wet shirt before getting into his bed. He left a spot open for Stell, and despite the fact that Stell wasn’t really sleepy, he was thankful for the invitation so he crawled into the bed right next to John Paulo, immediately reaching up to gently cup his face.

“I’m sorry,” Stell whispered, as John Paulo's eyes trailed down his face.

“I told you not to apologize.”

“Yeah but I made you sad,” Stell frowned.

“You’ve never made me sad,” John Paulo insisted, clutching Stell's hand in his own. He brought Stell's fingers up and kissed his knuckles gently. “You’ve never made me anything but happy.. and that’s what fucking sucked about today.”

“W– what?” Stell asked, startled by the shift in tone.

“I saw how gentle you were when you went close to the gravestone, how carefully you removed the weeds and placed the new flowers around it. You even cried for fuck’s sake, for someone you had never even met. You spoke to him like you had known him your entire life, you said all these kind things about me which was so thoughtful of you,” he broke off, too overcome with emotion to finish the rest.

“Sejun, I–”

John Paulo cut him off by leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to Stell's lips. Stell only pulled apart when he felt something wet hit his face. And he realized that John Paulo was crying. It was strange that he didn’t shed a single tear at the shrine, even when Stell had been a blubbering mess. Now that they were alone though, he wasn’t holding back. Stell wanted to know what he was thinking so badly, but he didn’t press because the last thing he wanted was for John Paulo to shut him out completely as a defense mechanism.

“You’re beautiful, and perfect, and more than I could have ever asked for. And I fucking miss him so much, especially when I saw you at the shrine today. He’d have really loved you too and I couldn’t stop thinking about what that would be like,” he hiccupped.

Stell nodded because there wasn’t anything he could say to that. How could he even begin to comprehend the kind of sadness John Paulo was feeling?

“It’s not fair,” he admitted weakly, clutching the front of Stell's shirt and pulling him in close.

Stell felt his throat go dry and his heart ache impossibly harder at the sight. He had seen John Paulo cry only a few days ago, but the tears had quickly been replaced by happiness so the impact hadn’t lasted very long.

But now, seeing his boyfriend look so broken was a sight that he wasn’t used to seeing. “I know, baby, I know,” he said softly, pulling John Paulo in closer, wrapping his arm around his waist tighter.

“I wish you could have met him,” John Paulo choked out into his shirt. The front of his chest was wet but Stell didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to him was being there for John Paulo, like his boyfriend had been for him so many times before.

The fact that John Paulo's father had passed so recently was something that Stell was privy to. But before today that’s what it had always been- just a fact. It brought him some kind of relief that John Paulo was moving on but at the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder what that meant for them. Still, it wasn’t the time to be thinking those thoughts. John Paulo needed him and Stell would be damned if he let anything get in the way of that.

“Me too,” he admitted, pressing a kiss to the top of John Paulo's head. “But the way tita talks about him, I feel like I meet him every time I’m with you,” he smiled, rubbing John Paulo's cheek with his thumb softly, wiping away the tears staining his face. “And I met him today. That’s something, right?” he reminded gently. “I hope you know that I meant everything I said back there." he added.

John Paulo didn’t reply, only clutched Stell's shirt tighter, pressed his face up to his chest even closer, and continued to choke sobs against him. Stell felt the vibrations run through his entire body, but he didn’t say anything else. He just held John Paulo tightly, running his hand across his face and through his hair to remind him that it was okay, that he wasn’t alone and that he didn’t have to put up a front in Stell's presence because he loved him either way.

Eventually, the sobs turned to weak sniffles and those died down to a steady breathing. Stell hadn’t been feeling sleepy at all when he first climbed into bed with John Paulo but the emotional drain had taken a toll on him as well. He soon found himself drifting off, John Paulo pressed impossibly close to him, every part of their bodies as closely intertwined as possible.

When Stell woke up again, the late afternoon sun was peaking through the curtains in John Paulo's room, casting shadows over the furniture, and lilting across John Paulo's sleeping face.

During the time that they were asleep John Paulo hadn’t changed positions at all. He was still holding on to the front of Stell's shirt, his face pressed into it as Stell's hand splayed across his hip, connecting them together. For a few moments, Stell took in the peaceful silence in the room, the way the orange light made John Paulo's face glow.

After a while though, Stell removed his legs that were tangled between John Paulo's own and shifted back on the bed so he could take in the sight of John Paulo's entire body. His face was still tearstained and Stell couldn’t help but run his thumb along the length of his cheek, tracing the remains.

The sight made him smile sadly but despite the streaks on John Paulo's face, he had a small smile across his lips that made Stell feel like maybe he was feeling a little bit better. And if he wasn’t, at least he was dreaming about something that could make him forget that he had been sad in the first place.

Stell couldn’t imagine losing someone so close to him so early. He couldn’t understand the pain that John Paulo was going through, but he could still empathize. He wanted to know what it was like though because John Paulo was important to him, and Stell really did love him, which was why he had asked permission to visit John Paulo's father grave in the first place.

It was his way of meeting the man, even if was spiritually rather than physically.

When it looked like John Paulo wasn’t going to wake up any time soon, Stell shifted off the bed and shuffled out of the room. He changed into a clean shirt and discarded the dirty one into the laundry basket first, careful to close the door quietly on his way out.

Stell had realized that it was late afternoon by the way the sun had dipped low, but he didn’t realize it was already 5 pm until he checked his phone. What Stell thought was going to be maybe an hour or two at most nap turned into a four-hour nap. He had either been more tired than he believed himself to be or just emotionally exhausted.

It was likely the latter of the two options, and if Stell had been feeling that way, he couldn’t imagine how John Paulo felt. So he let the other man sleep.

For a while, Stell sat out in the garden, admiring the array of plants. It was nice and he was happy that he was able to make a lasting impact on it. The copperpod sapling was still very much small but sturdy and Stell found himself wishing that maybe he’d get to see what it looked like when it tall and strong. There were so many plants lining the back, and even a pond in the centre of the garden with water lilies and small koi swimming around. Stell couldn’t imagine the kind of dedication it took to grow an area like this. It was beautifully serene and made him want to stay out there forever. But as the sun dipped lower, the wind started to pick up and the shady garden area was too cold for him so he returned back into the house.

John Paulo was still sleeping and there wasn’t much in the fridge to eat, so Stell did the only thing he could think of and message Cullen and Felip.

[group chat: disarming the ◕‿◕💪]

skylatte16 (◕‿◕✿) >> can I ask someone for a favour ?

felipmdrd(^_<)〜☆ >> yo yo Stell ofc what’s up?

skylatte16(◕‿◕✿) >> Sejun's kinda sick so do you think you could pick up some food for him ? I’d like to make soup myself but i couldn’t find any in his kitchen

felipmdrd(^_<)〜☆ >> oh shit is it serious?? sorry man but I’m out with my dad right now and he’s giving me a glare for being on my phone. Cullen?

skylatte16(◕‿◕✿) >> idk I hope it’s not v serious but I’m not sure yet

kidLeader19(￣Θ￣) >> did someone call?

felipmdrd(^_<)〜☆ >> yeah you derp Paulo's sick

kidLeader19(￣Θ￣) >> shit yeah I just caught up. I’ll be there in like an hour. need me to pick anything else up?

skylatte16(◕‿◕✿) >> uhm, the green tea ice cream Sejun likes

felipmdrd(^_<)〜☆ >> lol old man flavours 

skylatte16(◕‿◕✿) >> oh and some cheese pizza pls

kidLeader19(￣Θ￣) >> you got it

felipmdrd(^_<)〜☆ >> hey u ok?

skylatte16(◕‿◕✿) >> yes yes d.w. about me !! and thanks Felip !

felipmdrd(^_<)〜☆ >> hmm aite let us know if u need anything later

skylatte16(◕‿◕✿) >> will do ty

Stell didn’t want to worry Felip and Cullen, but it seemed like he hadn’t been as discreet as he thought. Maybe asking for the ice cream was a little too much. But he wanted something sweet, and ice cream was always a good way to lighten up any bad mood. Even John Paulo wouldn’t be able to deny the treat… hopefully. At least the green tea flavour wasn’t too sweet for John Paulo.

While he waited for Cullen to show up, Stell flipped through the channels on the tv, settling on watching a drama re-run that had been going on since morning. It was one that he had never watched before but he figured out what was going on pretty quickly even with all the episodes he had missed. By the time Cullen arrived, he was too mesmerized in the series to even realize that he was there. Thankfully he had the sense to leave the door open, so Cullen let himself in.

“Yo,” he greeted, making Stell jump from his spot on the couch.

“Shit, I didn’t hear you there, sorry!” Stell apologized sheepishly, pushing aside the throw blankets he had wrapped himself up in and greeting his friend properly.

“No worries. I dropped off what you asked for in the kitchen. I also got some miso soup just in case and the ice cream’s in the fridge,” Cullen turn his head in the direction of the kitchen.

“Thanks Cullen. Sejun’s still sleeping but I’m sure he’ll appreciate it when he wakes up,” Stell thanked.

“Yeah anytime. Are you alright though? You and Paulo I mean? You seem kind of down. I know you said you were good in the chat but, I don’t know.. I guess it’s weird to tell me since Paulo's been my friend longer. But you and me, we’re also friends so if you wanted to.” he trailed off awkwardly.

Stell shook his head, smiling at the sincerity. “That’s awfully sweet of you!” he chuckled. “But we’re good, I promise. We actually went to his father’s grave today and I guess that took a toll on him,” Stell admitted.

“He actually went?!” Cullen raised his thick eyebrows, surprise etched into his face.

“What are you talking about?” Stell frowned.

“Well, he hasn’t been since the funeral. I’m just surprised, that is all. His mom was there, then Felip and I try to go and pay our respects since his dad was always kind to us. I think everyone could understand why Paulo didn’t want to go, even if he's the only son of the family.. but shit,” he whistled lowly.

Stell felt his heart plummet at the explanation. This was his first time since the funeral? It took him nine months? No wonder he was so worn out!

“Not even for all soul's day recently?”

“No,” he confirmed. “He wouldn’t talk about it but I think being back home around that day really hit him hard. He always hated other people’s pity masked as sympathy, so he didn’t go. I think Tita Grace was pissed, the first and only time I’ve ever seen her really angry with him. But Felip and I just… let him be,” Cullen answered honestly.

“Fuck, I shouldn’t have asked him if we could go! I never would have if I knew,” Stell bit his bottom lip nervously. “Do you think he’s mad at me?”

“No way!” Cullen shook his head. “If he didn’t put up a fight and agreed, I think he really wanted to go. He probably had a reason for going with you around, you know?”

“That’s presumptuous,” Stell smiled wryly.

“Trust me,” Cullen insisted, patting Stell's shoulder supportively. “Anyway, I’m free for the rest of the night and Felip should be done helping his dad by 9 pm, so let us know if you need anything else. I’ll go before we accidentally wake him up,” he smiled, thumping Stell on the back once more before taking his leave. 

Stell walked Cullen to the door, locking it up after him, and returning to the kitchen to check what Cullen had bought. He smiled upon noticing that the bag of food was accompanied by two cases of beer and DVD of Alien: Covenant, which Stell had yet to watch. He set the food on the table, put the beer to cool in the fridge, and put the movie on, turning the lights off and curling up on the couch under the blankets once more.

It was probably the stupidest thing he could do - watch a scary movie by himself, considering how easily paranoid he got. But he needed a distraction, something to stop himself from worrying about John Paulo. And how maybe his boyfriend only needed Stell as his support until he worked his way up to getting over his father’s death. It was a stupid thought, one he couldn’t prove at all, but Cullen's revelation had put Stell into a self-deprecating and doubtful mood.

Fifteen minutes into the movie, Stell was practically shivering under the blankets, eyes peaking out from a small hole that he had created in the material that otherwise cocooned his entire body. He had all but forgotten about his worries about how John Paulo felt about him, but the fear that an alien was going to come out of anywhere to kill him was all too real.

“Stell?”

“Fuck!” Stell cursed, jumping up and standing up on the couch quickly. The pot lights dotting the ceiling turned on and he let out a completely undignified scream, which only stopped when he realized it was only John Paulo, and not some hostile alien that had come to abduct him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, stepping up off the couch and moving towards John Paulo, blanket still firmly wrapped around his body in protection.

“What am I doing? What are you doing?” he chuckled. Stell felt the tension in his chest dissipate at hearing John Paulo's deep laugh.

“Uhm.. watching a movie by myself,” he admitted sheepishly.

“A scary one?” John Paulo's lips twitched as Stell nodded. “In the dark?”

“I’m an adult, I can handle it,” Stell huffed indignantly. “And it wasn’t that dark when I first started – oh, I guess it’s raining,” he frowned, not having realized the thunderclouds that had rolled in outside until that moment. It had been clear skies all morning, so he hadn’t expected it to turn dark this quickly.

“How long have you been up?” John Paulo asked, smiling at Stell's putout expression.

“Uhm two hours?” he checked the clock on the wall. “Two and a half?”

“You should have woken me up. Now we’ll be up all night,” John Paulo frowned.

“That’s okay, you probably needed the sleep,” Stell assured, choosing not to mention the information Cullen had shared with him earlier. “Cullen brought food. There’s pan-fried tofu, miso soup, cheese pizza and even green tea ice cream for you.” Stell beamed, nodding his head in the direction of the kitchen.

“Hmm,” John Paulo acknowledged appreciatively. “Did you eat?”

“No, I was waiting for you,” Stell admitted. “You hungry?”

“Yeah,” John Paulo nodded. “How about we eat while we watch that movie together so you don’t give yourself nightmares,” he laughed at Stell's flush.

“I wasn’t going to give myself nightmares,” Stell denied stubbornly. “Maybe just a few bad dreams,” he added under his breath, moving away to put the food out into plates and bowls for them to set up on the coffee table. “Sit, I’ll bring everything. I can’t have Sejun doing work while he’s sick,” Stell pushed John Paulo in the direction of the couch when John Paulo moved to help him in the kitchen.

“I’m not sick,” he insisted.

“Being sad also counts as being sick,” Stell said, pressing the back of his hand to John Paulo's neck. “No fever though so that’s good,” he hummed thoughtfully. He took the blanket off his shoulders and draped it over John Paulo's own, biting back a smile at the way John Paulo rolled his eyes.

John Paulo moved away from the touch stubbornly, but Stell was just as adamant. He crossed his arms and waited for John Paulo to settle down on the couch before he returned to the kitchen to grab their dinner.

“Thanks,” John Paulo greeted, opening up the blanket for Stell to join him under. He took the bowl of soup Stell offered him, while Stell busied himself with the pizza.

John Paulo hadn’t touched the tofu yet, so Stell picked it up with his own fork and offered it to John Paulo who took it without protest. Stell grinned at the lack of complaint. “Want me to rewind? It’s only been twenty minutes,” he offered.

“Nah, that’s okay. Let’s watch from here,” he insisted.

“But then you’ll have missed the beginning,” Stell protested.

“Why’d you even ask me what I wanted if you were going to rewind anyway?” John Paulo chuckled. Stell flushed at being called out, but John Paulo just wrapped an arm around Stell's shoulder and tugged him in closer. “Let’s rewind,” he amended.

“Okay,” Stell agreed easily, shuffling back against the couch. Stell was sure he was going to get nightmares from watching the movie, but with John Paulo sitting next to him, somehow it was bearable.

Well maybe it wasn’t bearable, as much as it was a lot more distracting. By the time the movie ended, Stell was sated, a tad bit tipsy from having brought out the beers and more than just a little jumpy.

“Sejun,” Stell cried, rubbing his nose against John Paulo's shoulder. “I don’t think I can move from here tonight,” he whispered, twitching when the thunderstorm outside caused lightning to flash through the room. It cast shadows across the walls, making Stell think that there were other things, other living things, inside the room aside from them.

“We’re not sleeping on the couch,” John Paulo denied.

“But I’m scared,” Stell hiccupped, wrapping his arms around John Paulo's neck, eyes wide in fear and bribery. They had finished off one of the six-packs and made it halfway through the second, which was more than enough to get Stell in a frenzied state. At least John Paulo was doing better than him which Stell certainly needed at the moment.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” John Paulo asked seriously.

Stell paused for a few seconds, pulling his body back in John Paulo's lap where he had settled himself, blinking owlishly. “Fuck, that’s really sexy,” he groaned eventually, pushing his head back into the crook of John Paulo's neck.

John Paulo chuckled again. Stell's heart soared at the sound. He hadn’t realized how much he missed hearing him laugh after not having heard it at all today. To be fair, they had slept for most of the day which cut down some of their time together. But still, Stell was glad to know that he was feeling better.

“Mmm, you smell good..” Stell sighed, breathing in against John Paulo's neck. “Always smell good. Even when you’re sweaty.”

“That’s gross,” John Paulo said half-heartedly, trailing his hands up Stell's back absentmindedly. The touch made Stell shiver as much as it made him dig his face in impossibly deeper against John Paulo.

“I just complimented you. You should say, ‘thank you, Master,’” Stell chided, nipping at the skin of John Paulo's neck lightly in punishment.

John Paulo just laughed harder at that, which wasn’t the reaction Stell was going for at all. Before Stell could protest, John Paulo had nudged him back so he could press their lips together.

The kiss was sweet and affectionate. Stell thought he could drown in it forever. The way John Paulo pressed his lips against Stell's so softly made him feel like the touch was barely there. But the way his hands splayed across Stell's back, inching under his shirt made his body feel like it was on fire.

John Paulo's hands weren’t even doing anything other than resting against his skin, but the proximity had Stell on edge. He felt like there wasn’t enough air to fill his lungs but that just made him press against John Paulo's lips deeper because he was the only thing Stell really needed.

“I love you, Master Stellvester,” John Paulo teased, pulling apart and pressing their foreheads together. They were both breathing heavily, the huffs of air parting through their lips shared by one another due to the closeness. Stell blushed furiously at the declaration, his cheeks turning a dark pink which John Paulo was quick to trace with the pads of his thumb.

“So soft,” he hummed, moving his hands down to cup Stell's cheeks between his palms before pulling him in for another kiss.

“S – Se – jun,” Stell purred, moving away to nose at John Paulo’s jawline.

“Hmm.”

“J – John – Paulo,” he repeated in that same tone.

“Yeah?”

“Love you..” Stell grinned pulling back, like it was a secret and he was saying it for the first time. It took John Paulo by surprise, the sincerity in his voice, the happiness behind his eyes, but it also made his heart swell in admiration.

“Me too,” he agreed. “Still scared or can we go up to my room now?”

“Hmm,” Stell said pensively. “Still scared,” he smiled, wrapping his arms around John Paulo's neck protectively.

“Then come on, I’ll carry you,” John Paulo chuckled, moving to stand up and offering his back to Stell to climb on.

Stell wrapped his legs around John Paulo's waist and tightened his hold on John Paulo's neck, as if it wasn’t secure to begin with. John Paulo only sighed amusedly at the action, moving around the coffee table and through the living room.

“Should we have cleaned up first?” Stell frowned when John Paulo dropped him on the bed.

“Do you want me to leave you here by yourself?” John Paulo quipped.

“No, come back, don’t leave me for the aliens!” Stell wailed, lip quivering at the thought of being left in the dark room by himself. Aliens were supposed to be nice, dammit, why did the movie have to make him think he was going to be eaten by them?

“I won’t. I was just joking, I promise,” John Paulo soothed, getting into the bed and pulling Stell close to him.

“Promise?” Stell asked, eyes shining. He had definitely had a little too much to drink, which was embarrassing because who got drunk off four beers. But John Paulo didn’t seem to mind and Stell certainly wasn’t going to complain about being held tightly.

“I promise,” John Paulo nodded, tucking the hair that was covering Stell's face behind his ears.

“Even when the school year ends?” Stell asked quietly.

“What are you talking about?” John Paulo asked gently, trying to wrap his mind around the question.

“When the school year ends, you promise not to leave me then too?” Stell had turned his eyes down, refusing look at John Paulo's face. He hated being vulnerable but after the day they just had, he couldn’t help but think that maybe John Paulo was moving on and he didn’t need him anymore.

“What gave you the idea that I was even thinking about doing that?” John Paulo furrowed his brows, mind suddenly overcome by doubtful thoughts.

“I don’t know...” Stell shrugged, eyes looking anywhere but at John Paulo's own ones searching for some kind of answer in Stell's gaze.

“Stell.. come on, why would you think I’d do that? Did I do something wrong?”

Stell shook his head immediately to quell any of John Paulo's doubts. “Of course not!” he denied, pausing after that. “It’s just…” he trailed off, searching for some way to word his thoughts. “Cullen told me that you haven’t visited your father’s grave since the funeral. Not even for the all soul's day,” Stell said quietly. “And when you went today, I thought maybe now you were okay with it and you’d probably want to be closer to him again,” he shrugged again, sniffling against his will. “That was selfish of me to ask. I’m sorry, forget I said anything. You should move back here if it makes you happy.”

“You make me happy,” John Paulo said firmly. “And it’s not like that. I told you a while ago that I never wanted you to think that I latched on to you as some sort of coping mechanism. I’d never do that to you, okay?”

“Okay,” Stell nodded weakly, still not meeting John Paulo's eyes.

“Come on Stell, look at me,” John Paulo said gently, tilting Stell's chin up. “Look at me, please?” he asked when Stell shifted his eyes to look anywhere but at John Paulo's intense gaze. When he did look at him, he felt the world still. Even in the dark, John Paulo's passion was visible which Stell was wholly unprepared for.

“Cullen was right, I haven’t gone to the shrine not even since the funeral,” he admitted. Stell resisted the urge to look away but John Paulo's dark eyes were staring so intently at him that he couldn’t have, even if he tried to. “But that was because I was stubborn and felt slighted,” he admitted. “And when I moved away, I could tell myself that there was no way I could go back and visit.” he laughed wryly.

“You don’t have to explain it to me,” Stell insisted, feeling the guilt seep into him.

“I want to,” John Paulo nodded his head firmly. “I was fully prepared to stay stubborn and continue ignoring the past because it wasn’t fair. And then you and your charming smile, and your cute ‘Sejun's’ were suddenly there and I thought that maybe life wasn’t really as unfair as I thought it was,” he laughed shakily. “But by the time I came back home, it was awkward and I didn’t want my mom to hate me for not paying my respects but I still stayed away from the shrine, which I got a huge lecture for by the way,” John Paulo chuckled.

Stell smiled endearingly, giving John Paulo the support he needed to continue.

“So when you asked if we could go, I figured there was my chance to make it up to my parents for being such a shit son. I wanted to go but I didn’t think I deserved to be able to, so thank you for giving me the reason I needed.”

“You’re not a shit son,” Stell shook his head. “You’re awfully sweet and considerate. You’re too kind for your own good and take on too much responsibility. I doubt anyone cares how long it took you to visit.. and if they do, then screw them because everyone copes in their own way. I’m glad you took me to visit though.” Stell nodded, tangling his hand in John Paulo's, squeezing his fingers gently.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better person to visit with,” John Paulo whispered. “So no, I’m not leaving when the school year ends. That was never my intention. And yeah, maybe I’m moving forward over my dad’s death but I like you, I don’t want to leave you. So I’ll stay as long as you’ll have me.” he promised sincerely.

“Are you sure about that?” Stell asked through watery eyes. “You might regret telling me that in the future.”

“No way. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’d be an idiot to think otherwise,” John Paulo assured firmly.

“Always then..” Stell answered. “I’ll have you stay with me always.”

“Always,” John Paulo nodded his head. “Because there wasn’t a chance in hell you could have gotten rid of me otherwise.” he smiled, dropping his hand from Stell's chin and pulling his face into his chest.

Stell clutched John Paulo tighter within his grasp, biting his lip hard to prevent himself from crying, because he was supposed to be happy, dammit.

But maybe the alcohol was really getting to him, or maybe he had always been weak to John Paulo's sincerity. Hearing the firmness of his boyfriend’s conclusion made Stell's heart feel like it was going to burst from how hard it was beating, how raw it was making the rest of him feel.

John Paulo liked him.

John Paulo loved him.

And he wanted to be there for him – be there with him.

Always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reaching up to this point.   
> I love your messages and encouragements. Feel free to comment here your thoughts so far ♡
> 
> 自信ないけど皆さんの優しいコメントがすごく助かったです。嬉しいです！本当にありがとうございます！


	33. Coffee Prince Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop employee Stell had a love at first sight on a handsome stranger, wishing he could see someone that good looking every day. But then he realize he forgot to ask the usual 'Can I get a name for your cup', which would have been the perfect way to figure out just who this guy was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please enjoy reading the final chapter ♡(*≧∇≦)ﾉ

This time of the month brought a lot of firsts: the start of the school year, the beginning of new batch of job hunting, and people expected heavy rainfall in between days with warm temperatures across the country. 

It was one of the most beautiful times of the year throughout the entire country; the budding of flowers after dry season had passed put a fresh sort of feeling in the air, the whirring of motorcycles as students zipped past busy streets to make it to school on time, hoping to start the new year off on a good note was exciting and thrilling and full of renewed spirits; and the sense of happiness and warmth that new beginnings brought had always made the month Stell's favourite month of the year. Because no matter how the past year had gone, this was a time to look forward, a time to embrace the future and to learn from all the good and bad that had occurred. 

This year, it was even more special because it brought a lot of new firsts in Stell's life: his first time as a university senior – so close to graduating and being out in the real world, his first time stepping foot in Coffee Prince as a manager after having been promoted, and his first time having a roommate other than Josh since he moved to go to school in the city. 

The clear skies and soft patches of grass made the city so pretty, especially in the early hours of the morning when most people were still asleep. But working the 6 am shift, especially on the first day of each new semester and especially at the start of each new school year, had become a sort of tradition, which Stell wasn’t at all upset about upholding. 

Even if that meant that he had to peel himself away from John Paulo's warm body at 5 am just so he could get ready for the day. It had been difficult adjusting to the dim early morning light, even more so when it cast its shadows across John Paulo's face, which made Stell want to stay in bed with him for the rest of his life. 

But he had a job to do and a store to run. The realization put him in a good mood instantly. John Paulo, as usual, slept through Stell's morning routine, which wasn’t all that big of a deal because Stell was very quiet about getting ready. But he did wish that he could have gotten a kiss before he had to leave, although he settled with placing a soft one of his own to John Paulo's cheek for the time being. 

When he got to the store, new set of keys in hand, school bag slung over his right shoulder, and an upbeat smile on his face, he was met with loud cheering and hollering from JP, as well as a small smile and a, “Congrats Sir Stell,” from Zio. 

His face reddened because his friends didn’t have to be at work for another half hour but they had come early to congratulate him anyway. 

“I knew you’d get the job!” JP yelled proudly, slinging one arm over Stell's shoulder, which made it a little difficult for him to open the door but Stell wouldn’t dismiss JP's affections. Not when he was too happy grinning brightly the whole time. He liked praise and he certainly liked being recognized for a job well done, but seeing his friends’ genuine happiness for him made Stell feel a little shy. 

“Thanks guys,” he beamed, pulling JP and Zio into a wide hug, which they returned wholeheartedly. He pulled away from them to drop his belongings off in the staff room. Right before he returned to the front, Stell caught side of his new badge in the floor length mirror to the left of the door. 

Manager. That definitely had a nice ring to it. He adjusted the nametag a second time, even though it was already clipped cleanly to the front of his work shirt, and checked his appearance once again before heading out the door. 

“Does this mean I can get a raise?” JP asked cheekily. He should have been checking the stocks but instead, he was hovering around Stell excitedly, which might have been annoying if it wasn’t for the fact that this was JP. 

“Hmm, maybe if you get promoted to head barista,” Stell shrugged, biting back a laugh at the way JP's jaw dropped. He turned his head and busied himself with setting all the chairs down on the ground, tucking them neatly under the tables in preparation for the morning rush. 

“But wait, that’s Justin's job!”

“Well, Justin just might get promoted to Assistant Manager since the position is open and all,” Stell hummed, turning his head away to hide his laugh. 

But JP was taller than him and he was on Stell's other side in an instant, eyes wide with excitement and confusion. “What about Zio?” he frowned. “He’s been here longer than I have and I’d feel bad, like I’m overstepping.” he explained. 

“Hey Zio,” Stell called out, bringing the other barista’s attention away from the machines he was turning on to warm up to the other side of the shop where Stell and JP stood. “Do you want to be the head barista?” 

Zio wrinkled his nose immediately. “No way. I’m busy enough as it is.” he denied, turning back to his task. 

“There you have it,” Stell smiled. “Now are you going to take the offer or will I have to hire someone else?” he nudged JP's shoulder. 

“Ahhhh!” JP shouted, wrapping both arms around Stell's neck and squeezing him in a crushing hug. “You’re the best!” he exclaimed happily.

“Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don’t know,” Stell rolled his eyes, trying and failing to keep a neutral expression. His face broke out in a grin at the sight of JP's sunny smile, which was all the permission JP needed to wrap Stell in another hug. “Now go make the best drinks you’ve ever made today and prove to me that you deserve your promotion,” Stell chided. 

“You got it, boss!” JP grinned, walking off to his station. 

This month might have brought a lot of firsts, but it also brought a lot of familiarity with it. It was easy to fall into the rhythm of the morning rush. After spending most of time in the city, it was becoming a little boring without the onslaught of students to keep the shop busy at all times of the day. Dealing with so many people at once was difficult but it was also fun in the busy sort of way. Not all customers were the kindest or most polite, but the good ones more than made up for it. And the great ones always reminded Stell of why he loved his job so much.

“Good morning!” Stell chirped, face pulled up into a cheery smile, hands clasped in front of him, and fingers twiddling with one another. 

“Morning,” John Paulo greeted, meeting Stell's sunny smile with one of his own, dimples that caused Stell's heart to palpitate deeply sown into his cheeks. 

“What can I get for you?” 

“A large Americano,” John Paulo repeated faithfully, although Stell knew his coffee order by now, considering he had been the one to make John Paulo try everything until his boyfriend picked something he enjoyed. “And a good morning kiss,” he added cheekily, laughing when Stell's eyes went wide at the suggestion. 

Stell craned his neck behind John Paulo to see the long line of people waiting for their coffee fix. They only had three people working the front, which was more than enough, but he had a feeling that he was already taking too much time with John Paulo. And as the new manager, the last thing Stell wanted to do was give people a reason to complain about him.

He didn’t respond but the blush dusting his cheeks gave away his embarrassment. Or maybe it was his affection – Stell could never tell when it came to John Paulo. He turned away before his boyfriend had the chance to protest, filling the coffee cup up with John Paulo's order. He scribbled a few x’s on the side because if he couldn’t give John Paulo a proper kiss, the ones on the cup would have to do until he could.

When he handed the cup of steaming coffee off to John Paulo, his boyfriend inspected it before clucking his tongue in disapproval. “Not good enough,” he said, leaning in while pulling Stell by the hand to meet him half way across the counter. John Paulo placed a proper kiss to his lips. It was quick and chaste but had Stell flushing madly, especially when the room erupted in laughter and yells at the sight. 

“Sejun!?” Stell scolded, trying to cover his blush with his hands which only made the laughter in the room increase. He felt like his face was going to melt off.

What happened to the John Paulo who was embarrassed about letting Stell kiss him in public? What happened to his boyfriend who used to flush at the mere idea of showing any affection when there were others around? Since when did he leave Stell's heart beating uncontrollably, face flushed, eyes wide, and body slowly melting? 

Always, the voice in his mind reminded. John Paulo had always had that effect on him, since the very moment Stell laid eyes on him in this exact store. And it seemed like his boyfriend was taking advantage of this newfound information as of late. 

John Paulo slid a few bills across the counter, grabbed a sleeve for his cup, and waved at Stell. He whispered a “See you at home.” before taking his leave, rendering Stell entirely useless as he stood there, a spluttering mess, until Zio nudged him to the back to get himself together. 

Aside from almost being done with his degree, being a senior also came with some other perks, including less time spent in classes. And thankfully, the privilege also extended to engineering majors because universities weren’t so cruel as to make the last year of any program miserable when it should have been enjoyable. 

So when Stell came home from a long day of work and then classes at around 6 pm that evening, John Paulo was already in the kitchen, starting dinner for the two of them. With the kitchen fan whirring above his head, John Paulo hadn’t noticed Stell enter the apartment. Stell kicked off his shoes and dropped his bag off in the entrance, making a mental note to pick it up later because he was hungry and whatever John Paulo was cooking smelled really good. 

By the time he made it down the hall, and the entrance separating the kitchen from the living room came into view, Stell could tell that it wasn’t just a quick dinner that John Paulo was cooking but rather a proper meal. Stell extended one hand to grip the open doorway as he watched John Paulo with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, sweat beading down the back of his neck, hunched over a large pot on the stove. 

It was cute and made Stell smile, until he remembered that John Paulo had unapologetically embarrassed him at work that morning. And then his smile was replaced by a firm purse of his lips. He dropped his hand to the side and sidled over to John Paulo, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. 

“Hi,” John Paulo smiled, leaving the ladle he had been stirring to sit in the pot idly. “I didn’t hear you get home, how was your first day?” 

John Paulo moved in to kiss Stell, but Stell was more prepared than he had been that morning. He put both his hands up to meet John Paulo's chest, stopping him from moving any closer. “Nu-uh, you don’t get to do that,” Stell shook his head. 

“Why?” John Paulo frowned. He reached behind him to turn the stove off, before bringing his attention back to Stell. Stell raised his eyebrows challengingly. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re pissed about this morning,” John Paulo smiled. “Come on baby, I don’t think anyone minded, least of all me.” he chuckled. 

“Yeah, I know you didn’t mind,” he huffed. “What if someone complained to the head office about me? It was only my first day as manager so what if I lose the position? What if I get fired?” Stell whined.

“You won’t,” John Paulo affirmed, ignoring Stell's hands that were still placed firmly against his chest and moving to encircle Stell's hips instead. The action caught Stell off guard and he found his hold weakening. 

John Paulo took the opportunity to press Stell closer to him, ignoring his whines of protest that were completely at odds with the way Stell snuggled his chest comfortable against John Paulo's chest. 

“But Sejun, you don’t know that. I’m going to lose my job, and all because my boyfriend is a huge fucking sap,” Stell complained, weakly beating his fist against John Paulo's chest. “Morning kiss,” he repeated huffily. 

“Relax, everyone loves you. No one will complain and you won’t get fired,” he soothed, running one hand down the length of Stell's back while his other held him tightly against his chest. 

Stell hummed noncommittally, enjoying the attention. As much as he was annoyed, he wasn’t really angry. And having John Paulo so close to him always put him in a tranquil mood. Especially when he could feel John Paulo's steadily beating chest and Stell was reminded of just how much he loved falling asleep to that sound. 

“If I do though, I’m making you get me my job back,” Stell threatened. 

John Paulo chuckled, that deep, low rumble. “And how do you expect me to do that?” 

“I don’t know, beg?” Stell suggested. 

John Paulo was right though; the chances of him getting fired were little to none. Stell had been working at Coffee Prince for going on four years now. He had never had a complaint before, so even if he did receive one now, getting fired was not going to be the next course of action. 

“Or just buy me the entire store and we’ll call it even,” he teased. 

“What kind of money do you think I have?” John Paulo laughed, pressing a kiss to Stell's cheek. 

“Enough to buy me endless supplies of strawberry shakes at least?” Stell asked, leaning back to pout at John Paulo with large, hopeful eyes. 

“Now that’s something I can do,” he agreed, nudging Stell slightly so he could check on the food that was still bubbling despite the heat having been turned off. 

Stell moved aside and hung off John Paulo's left shoulder, peering over it to see what it was that smelled so good. “Hmm, what’s this?” he asked, nosing against the side of John Paulo's neck. 

“Scallop and shrimp soup. You liked it so much at that restaurant we went to for Josh's birthday that I thought I could recreate it for you here.” he admitted. 

“Oh? And what’s the occasion?” Stell chuckled, pressing a kiss to John Paulo's cheek, which was steadily growing vermillion. 

John Paulo turned his face to give him a look, as if to say ‘really’ but Stell only shrugged his shoulders quickly, feigning innocence. If John Paulo was allowed to embarrass him in public, then Stell could at least embarrass him when they were home together, away from prying eyes.

“First dinner in our new home?” 

“Are you asking me, or are you telling me?” Stell laughed lightly, moving away from John Paulo's swatting hand. 

“Don’t laugh at me Shitvester.” he grumbled. 

“Thank you,” he cooed, closing his eyes in a sweet smile. “Even though you’ve been living here for a while now and I unofficially moved in a long time ago,” he chuckled. 

“Yeah.. but today’s the first day we pay rent with both of our names on the lease,” John Paulo reminded, taking the pot off the stove and moving aside to check the scallops. 

“You big sap,” Stell teased, but the way his whole face lit up showed just how happy he was that John Paulo was making such a big deal about them moving in together. 

It was a big deal and not just because it meant they were serious, even though they had pretty much been living together since second semester. It made Stell happy that they were moving in the right direction at a good pace. Being so close to one another guaranteed that they’d always fall asleep together, even if one of them came home too late or woke up too early. 

Their individual schedules aside, it made Stell happy to know that John Paulo wanted him near, because no matter how much his boyfriend told him that, Stell would never get tired of hearing the compliment. 

“Set the table and I’ll bring the food over?” John Paulo asked, breaking Stell out of his reverie. 

“Sure, but where’s Meeyaoweou? She should eat with us too!” Stell reminded, head peaking out of the kitchen in search of their kitten, who was surprisingly not purring up a storm or rubbing her head against their legs.

John Paulo liked to say that Stell spoiled her too much, which was why she was so whiny and craved attention. But Stell thought she was perfect. And he knew that John Paulo secretly (or maybe not so secretly) thought that she was too, if the way Stell found him gently tucking her into her bed and the way he always gave her treats when she got all doe-eyed with him was anything to go by. 

“Napping, so don’t wake her up or else she won’t leave us alone.” John Paulo frowned. 

“Is that any way to talk about our fur child?!” Stell gasped, ignoring his boyfriend’s protests and moving into their room where Meeyaoweou was very much still asleep.

It had only been three and a half months since they adopted the stray kitten who had only been six weeks old at the time that Stell found her. But he had grown attached to her pretty blue eyes and soft, mottled fur the instant he laid eyes on her, mewling and shivering against the cold street. 

She looked so peaceful that he didn’t want to wake her up anymore, now that he had seen her breathing softly against her pillow. But she must have sensed his presence because before Stell could close the bedroom door and retreat back to the dining room, she pawed at her bed and opened her round eyes slowly. 

Stell held back the squeal of delight he felt at knowing she had woken up for him. He quickly moved into the room, knees bent to scoop her up in his arms. He was rewarded by a soft nuzzle to his chest when he scratched behind her ears that slowly bent forward at the action, urging Stell on. 

She didn’t protest when Stell got up with her in his hands – not when he continued to pet her soft fur the entire time. 

“Sejun, look!!” Stell cried, bringing her out to the dinner table, which John Paulo had set up in his absence. 

“At what? The fact that you woke her up even though I told you not to?” he quipped. 

“I didn’t wake her up,” Stell huffed indignantly. “She woke up all by herself because she loves me. Right Meeyaoweou?” Stell asked expectantly; the kitten mewled softly in response, putting a smug smile on Stell's face. “Told you so,” he added anyway, just for good measure. 

John Paulo rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched in an almost-smile nevertheless. “Come on, let’s eat before the food gets cold.” he jerked his head towards the table where he had set out their servings. 

“What’s this?” Stell grinned, noticing that John Paulo had put Meeyaoweou’s food bowl filled with her dinner on the table along with their own food as well. “Daddy Paulo thinks he’s so tough, setting up all the rules but he can’t say no to you either, huh?” Stell asked, rubbing Meeyaoweou’s forehead when she wrinkled her nose in agreement. 

“Stop talking to the cat and sit down,” John Paulo sighed, blushing at the nickname Stell had resorted to. 

“She’s not just a cat. She’s our precious kitten, aren’t you baby Meeyaoweou?” Stell corrected John Paulo before turning back to coo at Meeyaoweou who was still curled up in his arms. “But he’s still a little mean so you love Stell the best, don’t you?” he asked Meeyaoweou, who mewled again in response. 

Stell grinned, ignoring the way John Paulo was shooting him a deadpan stare. And he set Meeyaoweou down on the table before pulling out his own chair. 

“Thank you for cooking,” Stell beamed, which earned him a scoff. “What?” 

“You talk shit about me to Meeyaoweou as if I wasn’t there, and then expect me to take your praise?” he challenged. 

Stell's mouth fell open at the accusation. “I wasn’t talking shit, I was – hang on, are you jealous?” Stell laughed. Meeyaoweou ignored them in favour of the food in her bowl now that she had access to it 

“I’m not jealous,” John Paulo denied. The deep flush creeping up his neck said otherwise. Stell decided not to point it out.

“What I can’t tell is whether you’re jealous that Meeyaoweou likes me better,” he paused, “Or if you’re jealous that I’m paying more attention to her than I am to you?” he hummed. 

John Paulo scoffed again, this time less convincing than before. “I’m not jealous.” 

“Hmm, well it’s a good thing you’re not jealous,” Stell agreed. “Because I’m pretty sure her favourite is whoever gives her food and right now, you’re winning out.” Stell chuckled. “And no one could ever have more of my attention than you.” he added, biting back a laugh at the way John Paulo’s face flushed deeper. 

“Shut up!” he frowned. 

“One way only,” Stell smiled, standing up slightly to lean over the table and pull John Paulo by the collar into a deep kiss. 

Unfortunately, the clattering of Meeyaoweou’s food bowl distracted them from taking the kiss any further than a few open-mouthed presses of their lips against one another. It was one of the only times Stell found himself slightly annoyed with their cat. The other time being her having one of her episodes where she demanded food while they were in the middle of having sex. 

“Oi, watch her if you’re going to let her sit at the table with us,” John Paulo chided, pushing Stell back to pick up the fallen food. “She’ll get sick if she eats fallen off food.” he frowned. 

Stell sighed, moving back to halt Meeyaoweou in her steps before she could dip her tiny nose into his bowl. “Bad~ Meeyaoweou,” he chided half-heartedly. When she widened her eyes though, Stell felt his heart melt. He instinctively reached behind her head to scratch at the place she loved being petted at the most. 

“Now you know how I feel every time I see you making that dumb look,” John Paulo tutted, turning towards the kitchen to discard the mess before Stell could get in a good retort, otherwise. 

He still managed to yell an undignified “Sejun?!” because it just wasn’t fair how good John Paulo was at making him feel like a middle schooler with their first crush again. 

Since Meeyaoweou had taken a mid-evening nap, it took a considerably longer time for them to make her settle down for the night. Eventually, Stell moved her bed into the living room. It is because no matter how much John Paulo insisted that it was okay for her to sleep in their room, it was fucking weird to have her pretty blue eyes stare at them quietly from her spot in her little bed in the corner of the room, while Stell tried to suck his boyfriend off. 

He loved the little kitten but there were certain things he wouldn’t allow her to do ー and one of those was letting her mind get tainted by their bedroom activities, which had John Paulo laughing hard at Stell’s weird protectiveness. And Stell blushing madly until John Paulo returned the favour, taking him to the back of his throat and giving Stell a reason to be as flushed as he was. 

“Kuya Jayson called today,” John Paulo said absentmindedly once they had cleaned off and settled back into the bed. The covers thrown over their legs even though Stell knew that by the morning, they’d wake up with them tangled instead. 

“Why’d he call you?” Stell frowned, draping his arm across John Paulo's bare chest. No matter the weather, John Paulo was always impossibly warm. The heat made Stell's arm tingle and caused the warmth to spread to his fingers that were gently playing with the hairs at the base of John Paulo's neck. 

“Because you haven’t been answering his calls for the past week.” 

Stell's eyes were closed but if they were open, he was certain that he’d be able to see John Paulo giving him a sardonic expression. “His calls are all boring now,” Stell scowled. “All he ever talks about is wedding stuff, and it’s driving me nuts.” 

John Paulo laughed. “Don’t you think it’s driving him a little more than nuts considering it’s his wedding?” he asked gently. “Pick up next time. Maybe he just misses his little brother,” John Paulo laughed, pressing a kiss to Stell's mouth when he was met with a pouty expression. “But that’s what he called about today. He’s coming over this weekend to pick up his tux so he’ll be in town.” 

“What day next weekend?” Stell opened his eyes just to narrow them at John Paulo. The way his boyfriend’s face fell into a sheepish expression answered Stell's question without any kind of verbal confirmation. “You didn’t tell him about the housewarming party, right?” Stell pressed, eyes slanting further. 

“Uhm.. it may have slipped out?” John Paulo asked hesitantly. 

“What?” Stell asked, sitting up on the bed so he had some kind of leverage over John Paulo who was still lying flat on his back. “I don’t want him here, please tell me he’s not going to be here~” he frowned. 

“Don’t be rude Stell,” John Paulo chided. 

“Kuya and all my friends in the same place is going to be terrible!! They’ll all just try to embarrass me and ruin the party,” he frowned, puffing out his cheeks and moving away from John Paulo's touch. 

“I’ll be there,” John Paulo reminded.

“I know, and you’re going to be the worst of them all.” 

“Come on, don’t be like that,” John Paulo groaned at Stell's sour mood. “He asked if we wanted to go out for lunch with him. And I told him we couldn’t because we were having a party and he asked ‘Who’ and I said ‘We; Stell and I’ and he asked ‘You’re throwing two parties on the same day?’ and I guess I should have realized at that point but it’s not my fault that you didn’t tell your brother about us moving in together. But I said ‘No, it’s a housewarming party since Stell and I are living together now’ and he got all silent for a few seconds but before I could cover my tracks he said ‘Well then, I guess I’ll just mooch free food off of you instead’ before hanging up.” 

“I can’t believe you!!” Stell groaned, throwing his hands up to cover his eyes. 

“Me? You’re the one who didn’t tell your family we were living together,” John Paulo raised his eyebrows expectantly. “Which I assume you have a good explanation for?” 

“Ugh!!” Stell groaned, throwing his face down against John Paulo's chest, huffing against it incoherently. 

“What’s that?” John Paulo teased, brushing down Stell's back encouragingly.

“They’d just make a big deal about it and try to inspect you all over again.” Stell frowned. “It was embarrassing.. But I guess I had nothing to worry about if Kuya didn’t say anything weird to you, and tatay didn’t give you a call.” Stell chewed his bottom lip in thought. 

“Actually, he did.” John Paulo laughed. 

“Uggh!!!” Stell repeated, attempting to hide his face against Sejun. “What’d he say?” he asked, pulling back. 

“‘Just because you’re in a committed relationship does not mean that you can abstain from safe sex.’” John Paulo repeated in Tito Jun's deep voice. 

“Oh my god!!” Stell cried, practically throwing his entire body down against John Paulo's, who was apparently taking this better than Stell had thought he would. “I don’t know what’s more surprising,” Stell admitted after a few moments of silently moping against John Paulo. “The fact that my dad said the words ‘safe sex’ or the fact that he didn’t lecture you on consent again.” 

“Please. Let’s not bring up embarrassing old memories,” John Paulo chuckled, nudging Stell down so that his cheek was pressed against his own pillow, their bodies turned to the side so they could face one another. 

“Thanks for moving in with me.” John Paulo sighed, quiet enough for Stell to have missed it if he hadn’t been looking at John Paulo at the time, giving his boyfriend his undivided attention. 

“Thanks for asking me.” Stell replied easily. 

“I keep feeling like it won’t be very different from the past few months,” John Paulo admitted. Stell laughed lightly in agreement. “But everything that happens here will be us, you know? It’s not just things that happen in my apartment but our apartment. And every new memory will be us.” he explained awkwardly, cheeks flushing so cutely that Stell couldn’t help but brush his hand across the skin. 

“New memories huh?” Stell smiled, pulling his hand down John Paulo's face to tangle in his own hand. “I like the sounds of that. We’ll have plenty of chances for new memories here.” he hummed in agreement, thinking about all the things they had planned for the year. 

There was the housewarming party to look forward to, definitely. But there was also the fact that John Paulo had agreed to take an astronomy elective with Stell so that they could spend one Wednesday night every month stargazing, even if it was with an entire class. It was ridiculously sappy and every time Stell thought about it, he was overcome with giddiness. But it made him so happy that he couldn’t help but indulge. 

“What are you humming so happily about?” John Paulo asked gently, tangling Stell's legs between his own under the sheets. 

“How much I’m looking forward to making new memories with you. But the old ones are important too even if they’re embarrassing, because we got to share them together. Selfish, right?” Stell asked, shivering against the way John Paulo's thumb brushed over the back of his hand. 

“Not a chance. We’ll revisit old ones and make our own along the way too.” John Paulo promised.

“Love you,” Stell smiled, pressing a chaste kiss to John Paulo's lips. 

“Mmm, love you too.” John Paulo agreed, silently lacing their fingers as they drifted off to sleep. 

Start of the school year really was Stell's favourite month. And this year only heightened that notion. It was filled with lots of new beginnings, lots of firsts, but also lots of old memories that he could build up and visit with the same wonderful people all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for keeing up with Coffee Prince (人´ з`*)♡  
> I will miss John Paulo and Stell~
> 
> Did you enjoyed the series? I hope you like this finale!
> 
> I was entertained reading your flailings and reactions on twitter. I hope you get to comment or message me too~ you guys definitely enouraged me with this!
> 
> I love you fellow a'tin 🔥


	34. Coffee Prince Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello Stelljun shippers~  
> thank you for always letting me know you enjoyed this multichapter especially my characters!
> 
> I'm back with one shot for our favorite pair!!
> 
> Enjoy reading (´ 3｀)♡♡
> 
> One Shot Summary:
> 
> "Stop that!” Stell pouted, clearly upset at having been put off from littering John Paulo's neck in as many kiss marks and bites as he could.
> 
> On any other occasion, John Paulo wouldn’t have been all that jilted but they were having Stell's brother over tomorrow for their housewarming party. Just because Kuya Jayson already liked John Paulo didn’t mean that he will like seeing the evidence of their intimacy. As if all the talking from Tito Jun weren’t enough, Stell wasn’t sure he wanted Kuya Jayson to have more reason to scold them - him - either.
> 
> “Stop what?” John Paulo asked innocently. He traced his thumb over the same spot, letting his other move up to the opposite side before he gently pushed them in again. This time, Stell was prepared but with the added pressure from John Paulo's second hand, it still made him jump.
> 
> He glared down at John Paulo accusingly. “That!”
> 
> “What?” John Paulo laughed, repeating the action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As my twtter mutuals know, my world turned upside down last 2020.07.13 
> 
> SB19ShowBreakSpecial Episode 8: Justin's Birthday + SB19 Together Again youtu.be/G1glhKmSYlc
> 
> time stamp: 00:02:59 
> 
> my screenshot uploaded here https://twitter.com/ao3miyaicheese/status/1282679528066670592
> 
> In that one frame coincidentally this fanfic work title was included!!! Sejun in dreamland as Coffee Prince ☕

There was nothing like the reality of coming home to Stell that made the end of the day that much sweeter. Ever since the start of the new school year which hadn’t been all that long ago – only a week now, John Paulo had been in a continuously good mood.

Not only was he living with Stell, but he had brand new classes which also meant no more dreadful, mandatory late evening tutorial. He supposed he wasn’t old enough to consider the night over at 7 pm.

His last class of the week had ended every Friday during his third year but it did put a bit of a dent on his evening, having to plan everything around that time. Especially because he didn’t have any other classes to fill the passing minutes with, during the rest of the day leading up to the tutorial, and Stell was usually busy until then too.

It was a good schedule for getting him up early and forcing him to spend time working on assignments that he had either procrastinated on during the week, or felt a burst of motivation to start the ones due next week early. 

With the promise of the weekend right around the corner, there was no way he was going to get any work done on Friday nights when he ended so late. So he tried to do as much as he could before then.

Somehow though, even with his last class of the week ending at 2 pm rather than 7 pm like it had last year, John Paulo didn’t think he was going to get much done on Fridays.

He had been lucky – or maybe unlucky – that while he had a long day on Fridays last year, Stell wasn’t exempt from that schedule. To his boyfriend’s credit though, he mostly chose to take on a later shift because of John Paulo, which was sweet, in all honesty because it meant less distractions for John Paulo. 

Especially with the way his desire to see Stell grew with every passing day they spent together.

The journey from campus to his apartment wasn’t long at all – ten minutes on average but with the promise of seeing Stell at home on his mind, somehow the walk seemed twice as long. 

The only thing he could think about was how given that this was the first week back from school and the fact that now they were in their last year of university, the professors had relaxed on the homework just enough for them to be able to enjoy their last set of weekends together without any worries hounding over them.

With the thoughts of a good weekend on his mind and seeing Stell the moment he got home, John Paulo was in a great mood, even if he was feeling like a timid high schooler with their first crush.

Something about Stell always did that to him, though. Despite the fact that they had been dating for almost a year now, John Paulo couldn’t get enough of how much he loved him. Stell was too dorky for his own good and stupidly adorable on top of that, but every time he.. so much as breathed, it made John Paulo want to kiss him senseless.

He knew he had been smiling goofily to himself on the walk back from campus if the strange looks he received from people crossing his path were anything to go by. But he really didn’t care. It was with that same goofy smile that he slid his key into the lock, fully prepared to tackle Stell – who was more than likely busy prepping for their housewarming party – until he stepped away and took a proper break.

When John Paulo had left for class that morning, Stell was already up and fretting about groceries and making things look perfect, not that John Paulo could understand. The only people who were coming over tomorrow were their friends whom Stell had known longer than John Paulo had so really, he shouldn’t have had anything to worry about – and of course Stell's older brother.

By now, John Paulo was on good terms with Kuya Jayson, and so Stell definitely didn’t have anything to worry about.

Still, being the anxious being that Stell was, craving perfection wherever he went, he had gotten up at an unreasonable hour to cook. 

John Paulo kept the fact that he had heard Stell rustling the covers all night long thanks to his restlessness as well, rightfully hidden from his boyfriend. He didn’t need to give Stell a reason to freak out more than he already was.

The smile John Paulo had worn for the past ten minutes (and probably the entire day because he still wasn’t used to the idea of one home between the two of them) slipped right off his face in an instant, right before he was about to open the door to their apartment.

As soon as the sound of the smoke detector beeping filled his ears, John Paulo's brain had rewired his thoughts so that the only thing he could think about was making sure if Stell was okay.

John Paulo lodged the key into the lock – as if the harder he pushed would make the door open faster – jamming the key inside the keyhole for a few extra, unnecessary seconds before he threw open the door.

The first thing he noticed was the hazy grey smoke floating from the kitchen throughout the apartment, covering the hallway that led off from the kitchen, entirely. Once he had slipped his shoes off and gotten past some of the coughing that the smoke he had filled his lungs with in his haste has caused, John Paulo spotted Stell, glaring up at the smoke detector accusingly as he wafted a brown apron beneath it to wade off some of the smoke.

Meeyaoweou was circling Stell, hissing up at the smoke detector angrily. And if it wasn’t for the fact that their fucking apartment was a hazy mess, John Paulo might have taken a moment to find amusement in the sight of both pet and owner sporting equally unamused expressions, like the smoke detector was the one at fault for warning them.

Noticing that Stell and Meeyaoweou were okay though, John Paulo dropped his bag off near the couch before moving to open up as many windows as he could.

“Are you okay?” John Paulo asked anyway, making his way back to Stell.

He should have asked what had happened but John Paulo had spent enough time with Stell to know that the disgruntled expression on his face was just a mask for the disappointment bubbling underneath. One wrong word from John Paulo and he’d be spending too much time doing damage control for something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

“I’m fine Sejun,” Stell responded tetchily.

John Paulo crossed his arms disapprovingly. He watched Stell waft the air with the apron for a few more seconds, the air clearing up a little more with the windows open until he heard a small sniffle. He frowned, waiting for Stell to say something but of course, Stell was proud and stubborn, especially when he felt slighted, and he continued to dutifully waft the smoke out of their apartment, albeit with a little more blinking than he had been doing a few moments ago.

“Here, let me take over. Your eyes are red, you should go wash them out before they start to itch.” he compromised, ignoring Stell's fury and trying to combat it with a calm instead.

But if there was anything Stell was good at, it was seeing through people, and John Paulo could see him through the best as well. The moment John Paulo didn’t scold him for taking better care of himself, he knew that his boyfriend was just trying to avoid setting him off further, which managed to do exactly just that.

“I said I was fine,” he repeated, voice growing increasingly louder with ever word. “I can clear the smoke from the apartment, it’s not that big of a deal that I need you watching over me like I’m going to fuck up again!” he snapped.

“Stell,” John Paulo said sternly, lips pressed into a thin line.

“What?” he asked, avoiding all eye contact.

“Go wash your face.” John Paulo said again, voice firm and unyielding.

“I don’t need—”

“Go wash your face, Stell. I don’t care what you think you need. I’m telling you because I care about you and if you keep your head in that thick fog for any longer, your eyes are going to dry out.” he tried again, the second sentence coming out softer and significantly more resigned than his first.

But maybe that was a good thing though because Stell continued to flail his arms for a few seconds, apron still in hand, directed at the smoke detector before he glanced down at John Paulo nervously, breaking his hardened composure. He threw the cloth on the ground, lips curving down then pulling back up a couple of times like he was on the verge of saying something and stopping every single time.

John Paulo didn’t push him though. Whatever Stell wanted to say to him didn’t matter at the moment. As long as he walked to the bathroom to take care of himself, John Paulo would be happy.

It took a few more seconds of John Paulo patiently waiting, arms having fallen down to his side from their earlier crossed position until Stell dropped down to pick up the apron he had thrown onto the ground out of anger and distress.

“Sorry Sejun,” he mumbled quietly, bottom lip jutting out despite his best efforts to maintain his composure.

It was a lost cause anyway: John Paulo could see through Stell just as well as Stell could see through him. Before John Paulo could protest that Stell didn’t need to apologize, least of all to him, Stell had briskly walked away in the direction of the bathroom.

The sound of the bathroom door slamming shut with a loud force made John Paulo flinch. But he supposed that this was better than Stell making stupidly inaccurate assumptions. He was broken out of his own thoughts about what he was supposed to do to coax Stell out of his bad mood by Meeyaoweou nuzzling her head against his leg, preening for attention.

“You only like me when Stell’s mad, huh? You spoiled brat,” he sighed affectionately, bending down and scratching behind the kitten’s head with both hands. He picked her up when she mewled in satisfaction, moving her to her bed near the couch where she effectively curled up into a small ball.

John Paulo shook his head - if only Stell could be that easy to deal with. But then again, his personality was what made him Stell and there was no other way John Paulo liked him best.

Once the living room was aired out, John Paulo moved to the kitchen, noticing the pile of dishes in the sink immediately. It seemed like Stell's big plans for cooking had panned out – or maybe not entirely. The fridge was mostly stocked with packed containers and pots of viands they could warm up tomorrow for their guests. But the burnt batch of lemon squares lying in the pan on top of the oven didn’t exactly pass as edible.

John Paulo wrinkled his nose, peering down at the dessert bars carefully. They were blackened on the edges, burnt brown on top, and overall not appetizing. He felt bad for thinking such the moment the thought crossed his mind because Stell had obviously put a lot of effort into making them. He contemplated trying one, maybe they wouldn’t taste as bad as they looked. But for the sake of his stomach and Stell's dignity, he decided a trip to the hospital wasn’t something he wanted out of their weekend.

It took about thirty minutes to clear up the rest of the pots and utensils that Stell had left abandoned in his haste to stop the burning lemon squares from lighting a fire in their apartment. When he was done, he peered into the pantry, grabbing a packet of strawberry cream bread and those alien-shaped sour patch candies Stell loved so much because if there was one thing that could help him break Stell out of his bad mood, it was his favourite snacks.

Meeyaoweou was still sleeping soundly when John Paulo moved to the hallway, which he was grateful for because he didn’t think he could divide his attention properly between her and Stell when all he wanted to do was wrap his boyfriend in warm hugs and kiss him until he stopped acting so stubborn.

The bathroom door was left open across from their room. John Paulo could only hope that Stell was actually in their bedroom and hadn’t left the apartment entirely while he had been busy washing dishes.

He let out a relieved sigh when he opened the bedroom door to see the telltale hunch of a figure beneath the covers. Stell had pulled the blankets up over his head entirely and only his silhouette was visible.

Despite the situation, John Paulo couldn’t help but smile slightly because fuck, why was Stell so damn cute even when he was throwing a dramatic fit?!

His endearing thoughts were gone the moment he heard sniffling. John Paulo's smile fell instantly replaced by a growing concern instead.

“Stell,” John Paulo called softly.

Stell must not have heard him open the door because he stiffened immediately at the sound of John Paulo's voice.

“Go away!” he shouted through the blankets.

John Paulo closed the door behind him, dropping the snacks he had brought on the bedside table before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Despite Stell telling him to go away, he shifted over to make room for John Paulo.

For a few moments, they sat in silence. John Paulo gently rubbed Stell's arm over the blanket with Stell's back facing him. But the longer they stayed like that, the more Stell's resolve broke until he pulled the blankets down enough for his head to pop out from underneath.

At the sight of Stell's eyes redder than they were before John Paulo had told him to go wash his face, tore his heart. The momentary shift in his facial expression had Stell turning away from him just as quickly as he had looked towards John Paulo in the first place. But John Paulo wasn’t going to let him hide this time.

“Hey don’t do that,” he chided, stopping Stell from pulling at the blankets until they covered his face again.

“I look ugly,” Stell defended, pressing his cheek into the pillow, turning his head away from John Paulo's direction.

John Paulo chuckled quietly at the sight, readjusting his position until his knees were perpendicular to Stell's back and his arms were caging Stell's stomach in, back bent over his boyfriend’s torso so he could look at Stell's face properly.

“Says who?” he challenged.

“You did!” Stell shot back. “You always tell me I look ugly when I cry.” he huffed.

“You know I’ve never meant it,” John Paulo frowned. “You would never believe me if I told you I think you’re beautiful even when you’re crying but it’s true,” he insisted, eyes locking in on Stell's own.

The look John Paulo was giving him was too intense, too intimate, and it made Stell squeeze his eyes shut so he didn’t have to look up at the genuine look John Paulo was giving him.

He wanted to wallow in misery, dammit! Not have his stupidly perfect boyfriend be so stupidly nice and threaten to make his heart beat out of his chest.

“You’re so annoying,” Stell said eventually, when the feeling of John Paulo's warm breath fanning his face got too much and a sigh and small blush overtook his cheeks.

John Paulo relaxed a little at the sound. He bent down and placed a small kiss on Stell's cheek, right along his blush until it deepened. “You love it though,” he grinned, pulling back and basking in the sight of Stell's conflicted face.

Stell was trying very hard to stay annoyed. But on the other hand, he really didn’t have a reason to when John Paulo was being so nice. In the end, John Paulo’s affections won out and Stell opened his eyes and flipped over to lie on his right side so he could face John Paulo instead.

“Shut up,” he mumbled embarrassedly.

John Paulo quirked his lip in amusement. “I brought you something,” he smiled, reaching back to hand over the stawberry cream bread and the sour patch gummies.

Stell's eyebrows knit together in confusion for a few seconds before he saw what John Paulo had brought him and then a large smile graced his features. The thoughts about burned desserts and fuck-ups completely washed away by John Paulo's sincerity.

“Really?” he asked, but he was biting his lip now to prevent his smile from turning too wide.

“Yes, really. Which one do you want first?” John Paulo asked, holding up his hands that the two items were in.

“Uhm, the bread,” Stell answered quickly. “Wait – this isn’t some kind of test, is it? You’re not going to kick me out after I eat in your bed and deem that we can’t live together anymore will you?” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “You’re awfully particular about these kinds of things, so you had better not get my hopes up just to bring them down again,” he threatened seriously.

John Paulo gaped at him for a few moments before he laughed loudly, making Stell's frown deepen.

“That’s not funny!” he scolded, sitting up so he could weakly hit his fist against John Paulo's arm. The action only made John Paulo laugh louder until the frown on Stell's face started to delve back into hurt.

“I’m sorry,” John Paulo apologized immediately. Stell turned his face to the side, slighted. “Baby, please... I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have laughed,” John Paulo repeated, hand moving out to hold Stell's own in his hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze until Stell's annoyance dropped.

“You’re so mean to me,” he pouted.

“You’re an idiot,” John Paulo said suddenly, making Stell's jaw drop.

“What? I know I called you mean but you didn’t have to—”

John Paulo cut him off with a kiss, left hand not letting go of Stell's own hand in his, while his right hand came up to cradle his cheek affectionately. He moved his lips against Stell's tenderly until the shock wore off his boyfriend and he was kissing back – melting back into John Paulo.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” John Paulo repeated again breathlessly, once they had pulled back, eyes soft and faces warm to the touch.

“Sejun!!” Stell scolded again, face flushed from the kiss as much as from anger.

“Our bed,” he said in response.

Stell cocked his head to the side in question. “What?”

“Our bed. You said ‘your’ bed,” he pointed to himself, quoting Stell. “This is ours, dumbass.” he clarified.

“Oh... well – I didn’t – that’s not – ugh!!” Stell concluded, embarrassment hindering any logical thought from forming. “That wasn’t the point,” he mumbled eventually.

“Wasn’t it though? Everything in this apartment isn’t mine, it’s ours,” John Paulo repeated. “The bed, the dresser, the bathroom,” he listed off.

“Okay, okay, I get it...” Stell said embarrassedly before John Paulo could make his heart beat unbelievably faster.

John Paulo raised an eyebrow. “Do you though? I mean, if you think I’d even think about kicking you out, I don’t think you'll do it,” he frowned. “You’ve eaten in bed before in this bed, I remind you, so what’s this all really about?”

Stell chewed his bottom lip nervously. “I don’t know,” he sighed, chuckling timidly. “I guess I’m just nervous. I feel like I have to try twice as hard now because like you said, this is ours. It makes me worried that you’ll grow tired of me if I fuck up enough times and then with the stupid kitchen incident just now…” he trailed off.

John Paulo stared at him, expression unreadable. “You know, you didn’t have to say you’d move in with me if you didn’t want to.”

“What? No, no,” Stell stood up on his knees. The mattress dipped slightly from the shift in weight. But the next moment he had pushed John Paulo down to lie on his back, knees straddled on either side of his hip to gain some leverage so he could make Sejun understand that of course that wasn’t what he had meant.

“Stell,” John Paulo frowned, eyebrows knit together as he waited for an explanation.

“I love you,” he said easily. “I love you so much that I think about how much life would suck if I didn’t have you. Of course, I wanted to move in with you! Hell, I was ecstatic that you had even asked. And I still want to live with you. I just keep thinking I need to try extra hard now, which is stupid because I don’t think there’s a single thing you don’t know about me at this point. But I just… I don’t know, I feel like us being together all the time will make you get tired of me?” he admitted.

John Paulo's frown softened immediately upon hearing Stell's worries. He lifted both hands up to cup Stell's cheeks between his palms, smiling when the action brought a flush to Stell's cheeks.

“That’s never going to happen. You think you’re worried about losing me but I can guarantee you that I think the same thing about you. So really, we’re both idiots and have nothing to worry about,” John Paulo laughed gently. “I love you too and I don’t want you to think that you have to change just because we’re living together now,” he smiled. “Besides, we were basically doing that before anyway, right?”

Stell smiled tearfully, nodding his head in agreement. It was crazy how a few words from John Paulo always wiped his worries.

“Good!” John Paulo concluded.

Laughter bubbled out of Stell in response to how light he felt now that John Paulo had confirmed that everything was okay. The sound made John Paulo crinkle his eyes in happiness, cheeks caving in as his own relieved laughter took over.

“You’re the best!” Stell smiled gently, leaning down and placing a quick kiss to John Paulo's lips. When he tried to pull away, John Paulo snaked his arms behind Stell's neck, giving him a gentle tug and sealing their lips once more in a longer kiss that left them both breathless and happier than a kiss had any right to make them feel.

“Hmm,” John Paulo answered noncommittally, too focused on taking in the sight of his happy boyfriend above him.

He ran his palms against the length of Stell's arms, the way Stell shivered to the touch just made John Paulo want to repeat the action further so he did until Stell was glowing in embarrassment.

“Do you want your eat your snacks already?” he asked gently, nodding his head to the dresser where the packs was lying forgotten.

“Nu-uh,” Stell shook his head slowly.

“You know I don’t care, right? I mean, maybe on any other occasion if you got crumbs everywhere but not today, promise.” he insisted.

“I know,” Stell nodded, lips quirked up in a small smile. “Maybe later though, since Sejun’s being so nice today. But for now, I just want to sleep for a little bit. I’m so tired.” he admitted, yawning as if to prove his point further.

John Paulo huffed a laugh, remembering how Stell hadn’t slept much the night before and had been busy all day today. Of course he was tired, but John Paulo was grateful that his boyfriend had come to that realization all on his own. John Paulo didn’t want him to feel like he was overseeing him.

“Shove over so you can get comfortable,” John Paulo nudged Stell lightly, fully prepared to leave and let him take the entire bed for himself for a few hours. It would give him the chance to maybe get started on some assignments before the weekend fully kicked in but Stell had other plans.

“Nope,” Stell denied, bending down and splaying himself right on top of John Paulo.

He shuffled down a bit so that his head was resting against John Paulo's chest, the sound of his heartbeat calming Stell down enough to instantly lull him into a comfortable state.

“I like this much better.” Stell concluded happily.

The sincerity in his voice tugged at John Paulo's heartstrings. His right hand came up almost mechanically to card through Stell's hair while the other laced their fingers tighter together, squeezing once, twice, three times, as if any amount of physical affection was enough to quench his need to be impossibly closer to Stell.

The rhythmic motion was enough to lull John Paulo into a sleepy state as well. Just when he thought he was about to give in to that afternoon nap that was sure to fuck up his sleep schedule for the rest of the weekend, Stell jerked up quickly, legs still placed on either side of John Paulo's hips while his arms supported him enough to hover over John Paulo's face.

“What’s wrong?” John Paulo asked immediately, noticing Stell's panicked look. 

“You didn’t eat the lemon squares, right?” he asked, eyes wide in fear.

It took a few seconds for the question to sink in. But once it did, John Paulo couldn’t help but laugh loudly. Stelp's face twisted down into a frown, but he didn’t say anything until John Paulo stopped laughing and gave him a concrete answer.

“I didn’t,” John Paulo confirmed. “What happened to them, anyway?” he asked, deeming it safe territory now that Stell was in a better mood.

“Uhm, I may have used wax paper instead of parchment paper to line the pan. And uhm.. wax paper is obviously flammable,” he mumbled quickly, avoiding eye-contact.

“Shit! I’m glad you’re okay,” John Paulo answered honestly.

“You’re not mad?” Stell asked worriedly.

“Fuck, no. It was a mistake, it’s okay.” he reminded gently. “Besides, what do you think is important here: you or the damn lemon squares?”

“I don’t know, Sejun,” Stell started, biting his bottom lip to prevent the full-fledged smile from taking over. His efforts were futile though, because John Paulo could see the genuine amusement on his face instantly. “It’s not the lemon squares I was worried about so much as burning this place down,” he laughed lightly. “Having a home is pretty important, you know.” he reminded.

John Paulo snorted in amusement. “We could just take over your old room, considering Josh's new roommate doesn’t seem to ever come home.”

Stell crinkled his eyes happily. “Josh still hasn’t forgiven you for stealing me as a roommate, by the way.” he reminded.

Josh wasn’t really annoyed that Stell had decided to move out, and live with John Paulo for their last year, but they had been rooming together for the past three years and change was something that neither of them found easy to adjust to. Josh was genuinely happy for him and if it wasn’t for the fact that his girl refused to rent a place near campus instead of commuting every day from home, Josh would probably have ditched Stell a long time ago.

Now though, he had an excuse to spend time away, mostly staying over at his girlfriend's because her parents were always away, so it had sort of worked out in both of their favours. Still, John Paulo hadn’t quite gotten used to Josh's teasing as much as Stell had. And so, Josh took that as the perfect opportunity to milk the situation for all that it was worth which, unfortunately for John Paulo meant that he was going to have to hear about how Josh's life had gotten significantly more boring without a roommate to come home to.

“Too bad, I know you like me way better, anyway,” John Paulo laughed.

“Don’t let him hear you say that though,” Stell nodded in agreement. “Anyway, I’m glad you didn’t eat the lemon squares just to be nice.” he chuckled.

John Paulo flushed because he had been thinking about doing it just for the reason that Stell had correctly guessed. “I thought about it,” he laughed through his embarrassment. “Were you worried you had accidentally poisoned me or something?” he teased, before Stell could pinch out his pink-tinged cheeks.

Stell immediately opened his mouth to retort but closed it just as quick, a disgruntled expression taking over his features. He pushed himself up so he could sit across John Paulo so he could cross his arms over his chest, trying his best to give John Paulo his most unimpressed look.

But all that did was make John Paulo smile up at him lovingly.

“That’s not funny.” Stell said when it was obvious that John Paulo wasn’t going to say anything.

“Cute,” John Paulo said in response. “You’re so fucking cute all the damn time. Do you know how hard it is to not kiss you when you do things like that?” he asked honestly.

“Sejun?!” Stell scolded, but he was smiling even if he was embarrassed. “Who said I wanted you to hold back on the kissing, anyway?” he added, bending down and hiding his embarrassment by pressing his lips against John Paulo's own.

John Paulo wasn’t opposed to the idea, even if it meant that he lost the opportunity to see Stell's adorably abashed face - all glowing pink cheeks and dusty, endearing eyes. But he had seen that expression enough times to be able to imagine it, even as he closed his eyes and met Stell's soft lips with his own.

When Stell deepened the kiss, coaxing John Paulo's lips open enough to be able to slip their tongues together. John Paulo couldn’t help but let his wandering hands find their way underneath Stell's t-shirt, pressing his warm palms against Stell's smooth skin.

The surprised moan that had Stell melting into him further only encouraged him to trace the outline of Stell's spine with his fingers until they broke apart. Stell immediately snuggled his face into John Paulo's neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses against the skin while John Paulo didn’t let up mapping the expanse of Stell's back with his hands.

At this point, he knew where every little mole and bone was. He also knew the spots that had Stell furrowing into him further or jolting up in surprise. So really, he wasn’t startled when Stell suddenly jumped up as he lightly pushed his thumb into the spot right above his hip.

“Stop that!” Stell pouted, clearly upset at having been put off from littering John Paulo's neck in as many kiss marks and bites as he could.

On any other occasion, John Paulo wouldn’t have been all that jilted but they were having Kuya Jayson over tomorrow. Just because he liked John Paulo didn’t mean that he liked seeing the evidence of their intimacy. As if all the talking from Tito Jun weren’t enough, Stell wasn’t sure he wanted Kuya Jayson to have more reason to scold them – him – either.

“Stop what?” John Paulo asked innocently. He traced his thumb over the same spot, letting his other move up to the opposite side before he gently pushed them in again. This time, Stell was prepared but with the added pressure from John Paulo's second hand, it still made him jump.

Stell glared down at John Paulo accusingly. “That!”

“What?” John Paulo laughed, repeating the action.

“Sejun, you know I’m ticklish there – no!!” he said, noticing the glint in John Paulo's eyes. “Don’t you dare do– fuck,” he cursed, laughter bubbling over, effectively cutting off whatever threat was on the tip of his tongue as John Paulo pressed into that same ticklish spot again, moving his hands out to rub over Stell's sides in a way he knew was going to drive Stell crazy.

Stell's shoulders were shaking and he was trying very hard to stop from smiling. But all his boyfriend did was causing his face to contort comically, which just made John Paulo laugh harder at the sight.

“You’re – you’re so mean!” Stell wailed, throwing his fists down lightly in an attempt to push John Paulo's hands away. But Stell had unwillingly given John Paulo an advantage when he straddled his hips. Now, John Paulo was able to lock his own ankles behind Stell, making it harder for his boyfriend to slip out of his grip.

“What’s that? I’m mean, huh?!” John Paulo asked teasingly, moving his hands across Stell's skin faster. The callouses on his palms from years of playing guitar only added to increase the shivers that wracked Stell's body at the touch.

“Oh my god!” Stell shrieked loudly. “Sej – Paulo!” he complained. “Too much, fuck!” he shouted, dislodging himself enough from John Paulo's grip to be able to slip out. Unfortunately, it was in the wrong direction. One moment Stell was shaking above John Paulo and the next moment he had toppled over the bed with a loud yelp. 

In his fall, he had tried to grab onto something for leverage but the only thing in his reach was the blue blanket that he had previously cocooned himself under which slipped off the bed with him. Half of it was lying on top of his head while the other half was trailing over the bed, threatening to cover the ground at any moment.

“Fuck,” John Paulo cursed, jumping off the bed and kneeling down next to Stell immediately to make sure he was okay.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Stell placated once he had pulled the blanket off his head.

His hair was askew, a few strands flopping in the wrong direction and his face was flushed happily. His limbs were tangled slightly in the blanket with only his head popping out from underneath it, and he seemed okay. But that didn’t stop John Paulo from feeling like an asshole, anyway.

“I’m so sorry.” he apologized, face heating up immediately.

“It’s okay, I’m fine, I promise!” Stell chuckled, wincing slightly when he tried to unwrap the blanket from his torso.

The look didn’t go unnoticed by John Paulo. “Fuck!” he cursed again, helping pull the mess of fabric away from Stell. “Is your knee okay?” he frowned, eyebrows knitting together in frustration.

“Relax, it’s just my elbow that got scratched. The blanket took most of my fall, I promise!” Stell laughed lightly, moving a hand to cup John Paulo's cheek in an attempt to stop his head from swivelling in every direction as he tried to assess the situation. “I’m not lying, you know.” Stell chided.

John Paulo flushed deeper. “I know, I’m just… I’m sorry.” he repeated again, dumbly.

“It’s fine, Sejun. This’ll teach you not to tickle me anymore.” he added.

But the joke just made the guilt in John Paulo's stomach pool until he was wrapping his arms around Stell's shoulder, squeezing tightly and muttering apologies over and over again.

“I’m terrible,” he mumbled into Stell's shoulder.

“That’s the furthest thing from the truth I’ve ever heard!” Stell deadpanned. “It was an accident and those happen, right?” he reminded softly, paraphrasing John Paulo's own words from earlier.

“Yeah,” John Paulo admitted begrudgingly. “Let me make it up to you.” he added, if only to quell his own guilty conscience.

“And you claimed you were a terrible person?” Stell rolled his eyes. “You’re probably the sweetest person I know. But if you really want to make it up to me, I really do want to take a nap and I’d like it if you lay with me.” he smiled.

“Done.” John Paulo agreed easily, face still twisted into an unsure frown.

“I’m fine, oh my god! You’re crazy.” Stell laughed lightly, noticing John Paulo's torn expression. “If it’ll make you feel better though, you can carry me to the bed?” he grinned, flashing John Paulo a peace sign and a wide grin.

“I can do that,” John Paulo nodded stiffly, bending down to pull Stell up.

The bed was less than a foot away, but that didn’t stop Stell from looping his arms around John Paulo's neck as his boyfriend lifted him up from beneath his knees and gently laid him down on the bed before bending down to retrieve the fallen blanket as well.

“Come here,” Stell patted the spot beside him, shifting over to make enough room for John Paulo.

John Paulo nodded and lay down, face stern and silent as his own worries wracked his brain. Stell caught the expression and nudged him quietly after a few moments of staring at John Paulo's stiff posture.

“You can relax, I’m seriously fine.” Stell smiled, reaching out for John Paulo's hand with his own.

“You’re sure?” John Paulo asked uncertainly.

“Of course I’m sure. Remember the last time I was sick,” he reminded with a small laugh. “I wouldn’t stop telling you how I felt so you don’t have anything to worry about. If I really was hurt, you’d have known by now.” he insisted.

John Paulo quirked a brow at him hesitantly. “But that time wasn’t my fault,” he deadpanned. “What if you’re just pretending to be okay because you don’t want me to feel bad?” he questioned unsurely. “What if you’re just trying not to hurt my feelings, which I don’t get why since I’m such an asshole and I deserve it anyway.” he mumbled angrily, more to himself than Stell.

“Paulo, look at me,” Stell moved his hand to cup John Paulo's cheek, turning it so that they could face one another. He opened his palm up to let his fingers thread between John Paulo's thick hair. “I’m perfectly fine. I’ve been hurt worse playing sports and this,” he said, lifting up his elbow which was starting to bruise, “this is just a scratch so you need to stop beating yourself up about it, okay?”

John Paulo nodded weakly.

“Besides, you’ve done way worse,” Stell teased. “Remember the night after my brother’s wedding?” he chuckled, his laughter only increasing with the way John Paulo's face flushed a deep crimson.

“That was an accident!” John Paulo defended immediately. “You told me to throw the keys and that you’d catch them.” he reminded.

“I told you to throw them to me, not at me, you dork,” Stell chuckled, the memory of the large bruise on his collarbone that had taken a few days to heal coming back to him with every passing second. In John Paulo's defense, his coordination did decrease with every drink and Stell hadn’t exactly been sober that night either.

It wouldn’t have been so bad, were it not for the fact that his parents had insisted on taking advantage of the pool in the hotel they had been staying at for the night before going back home and Stell couldn’t exactly swim with his shirt on. It had taken a lot of convincing on John Paulo's part that no, that bruise was not intentional and it wasn’t a result of sex either – although the same couldn’t be said for the bruises littering his upper thighs – until Stell's father had been satisfied and let them be.

Now that Stell thought about it, that had been a hell of an embarrassing morning. But the result made him fond of the memory, if only because John Paulo was way more embarrassed than he was.

“Accident though, right? Just like this,” Stell said quietly, leaning down and pecking John Paulo's lips lightly.

“Yeah,” John Paulo agreed, finally melting into Stell's touch.

He was being a hypocrite for not listening to his own advice, but he was lucky enough to have Stell to show him his senses.

“Good, now go to sleep before I accidentally set Kuya on you,” Stell muffled his smile in John Paulo's shoulder that he had snuggled up against.

“You wouldn’t dare,” John Paulo challenged, smiling as he pulled Stell's body closer to his until their legs were tangled in one another’s just as much as the rest of their limbs.

The blanket lay forgotten at their feet, but it didn’t matter because the only source of heat John Paulo needed was Stell's body next to his.

“Love you,” Stell grinned, closing his eyes and drifting off to the sound of John Paulo's beating heart in time with his own.

“Love you too,” John Paulo replied, resting his chin on Stell's shoulder.

The feeling was familiar, but new at the same time. John Paulo realized that living with Stell might not have been very different from what they had been doing before – staying over at one another’s places just about every night. But it was also different because it was the next step.

Stell was serious about him, and John Paulo was serious about Stell.

With the changes, of course they were going to have experiences that were different to them. It wouldn’t always be a kitchen fire but whatever it was, John Paulo was happy that they could face it together. It didn’t matter what happened as long as he had Stell there with him because in the end, that was the only criteria he needed to be happy.

Even though moving in together was different, not everything would be new along the way to figuring out their life together. This – the feeling of Stell's soft breaths against him indicating that he had fallen asleep, snuggled up close to him – was something that was familiar and he never wanted that to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this one shot! I thought I'll be posting a one shot of them sometime in distant future but I was too delighted haha!
> 
> I hope you don't mind I skipped the baking and being lovey dovey together in the kitchen, I already got NC-17/R-18 of that and be honest, how many times did we watched that vlog?
> 
> Also the real SB19 preparing for a birthday is a treat!! I wrote celebrations here too and seeing the real thing is heartwarming~
> 
> And as usual, comments would be lovely ♡

**Author's Note:**

> I came across a fancam of SB19's first gathering 2018 and I was so triggered with their skit of Stell in his previous work outfit. He looks like someone who worked on a famous coffee shop! I would love to stare at that handsome barista~


End file.
